From the Bloomington Herald-Times:
Our hearts say yes to the setting up of a time-payment plan for an Ellettsville couple, permitting them to settle their property tax bill before their home reaches the tax sale list.
Our heads worry the idea creates the possibility for all sorts of complications, some of which haven’t even been thought of, as additional people with problems appeal for similar help.
County Treasurer Cathy Smith is to be commended for working to formulate the custom plan for the couple — he’s in his 70s and she’s in her 60s and serious health problems have drained their resources — who owe about $1,000 in back taxes. That’s money they don’t have.
The plan calls for the couple to pay a little more than $90 a month — still a squeeze for people living on just $700 monthly from Social Security — until the debt is paid in full.
One worry, that it’s unfair to other families who struggle but still manage to pay their taxes on time, seems easily put to rest: We just don’t think reaction will reach a level of serious concern. The program is designed for truly extraordinary situations, ones in which we can’t see people begrudging the extension of such a small helping hand.
Other problems, though, are knottier. With no guidelines from the state, which for the first time this year has authorized such time payments, who determines what is truly extraordinary? The issue of fairness is not so much that some few will benefit from the county’s largesse but that others, equally badly off, will be denied.
Who monitors the plan and sees that payments are made? What happens if they aren’t? Who writes the contract that spells out repayment terms? It appears likely that this first one was cobbled together without a lawyer — not good practice whenever property and its potential loss are involved. Who pays attorney’s fees and administrative costs?
Who actually makes the guidelines, if there are to be any, and will a means test be required? Who would check such disclosures? Who among the various independent county office holders would have the final say? The treasurer, the auditor, the commissioners, council members? No one?
This sounds like an awfully complex process that county financial managers must devise and apply, and the recent history of county finance doesn’t leave us with a lot of confidence serious hitches won’t develop.
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http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/2012/07/19/digitalcity.tax-payment-plan-sounds-good-but-unforeseen-consequences-may-develop.sto
