Franklin County officials held their annual delinquent property tax sale Thursday, Sept. 5, according to Franklin County auditor Steve Brack.
The sale was conducted by Brack and county treasurer Veronica Voelker.
A property tax sale is required to be held in each Indiana county for those properties where an owner of real estate fails to pay the property taxes from the prior year’s first property tax bill installment. A tax lien on the property may be sold to the highest bidder to satisfy the tax obligation, according to Brack.
The owners of the properties sold at the tax sale have one year to pay the delinquent property taxes, costs and penalties to keep their properties. The sale, conducted by Indianapolis-based SRI Inc. on behalf of Franklin County, offered 58 parcels to 24 bidders. SRI conducts tax sales in 83 counties in Indiana, Michigan and Colorado.
This year’s tax sale resulted in the collection of $122,292 from owners and buyers – 190 parcels had all taxes, penalties and costs paid in full.
“Tax sales are a necessary function of county government. It is only fair to the people who pay their property taxes every year to pursue those that do not pay,” Voelker commented.
For the 18 properties that did not sell, the county commissioners acquire a tax lien. The county commissioners may offer those properties to the public at a sale at a later date.
“It is our ultimate goal to return these properties to the tax rolls as quickly and efficiently as possible. Properties owned by people that pay their property taxes ensure our local government services are fully funded,” Brack commented.
For more information on property tax sales, visit www.sri-taxsale.com. Brack can be reached at 765-647-4631 or auditor@franklincounty.in.gov. while Voelker can be reached at 765-647-5121or vvoelker@franklincounty.in.gov.
