From the Northwest Indiana Times:
Lake County is ready to forgive thousands of tax-delinquent property owners.
But there are conditions, the Lake County treasurer said.
Treasurer John Petalas on Thursday asked the County Council to frame the conditions under which past-due tax liabilities will be handled under the state amnesty program, which will run from July 1 to July 2013.
"We don't want the county to get taken advantage of," Petalas said.
He said there are about 14,000 people who owe the county $180 million in back taxes, interest and penalties.
Petalas said the amnesty program will let those people avoid large interest and penalty fees if they agree to repay all taxes they owe from 2011 and previous years and all taxes they will owe for this year and the first half of 2013.
He said the conditions are designed to get people into regular tax-paying habits.
Petalas is urging those interested in amnesty to apply as soon as possible because all delinquencies must be repaid in full by July 1, 2013.
"If they sign up this July, they have 12 months to repay, but if they wait until November they will only have eight months," he said.
Petalas also warned that he intends to hold a tax sale in July or August. Anyone who hasn't been approved for amnesty before the sale faces having their house sold at auction for the back taxes.
Petalas said he wants the council to write a strict rule for delinquent owners whose property is purchased in this year's tax sale requiring them to pay the successful bidder the usual surcharge.
"We don't want the county stuck paying that amount," Petalas said.
Petalas also warned than anyone who fails to make amnesty payments on time will be banned for five years from any future installment plan.
Council members said they will draw up an ordinance to adopt the amnesty program in the coming weeks.
Read more: http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/lake-county-council-to-draft-tax-pardon-conditions/article_8df88072-3c43-5fed-ba01-d5868d83279f.html#ixzz1rGuENzk4
