Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 1, 1993 TAG: 9310010267
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BRIAN KELLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
Meredith and Assistant Treasurer Freda Conner gave the annual treasurer's report to the county Board of Supervisors this week for the budget year that ended June 30.
The brightest news for board members is that stepped up collection efforts have decreased the rate of overall delinquent county taxes from 4.55 percent in 1991 to 3.4 percent this June 30, Conner said.
From May through December 1992, the treasurer's office collected $900,000 in delinquent taxes. In August and September the office collected $178,000. That total of $1.07 million, collected via warrants, levies and liens, does not include the delinquent taxes garnered by second notices and other methods, Conner said.
"I'd like to congratulate the treasurer's office on cutting that percentage down," said Supervisor Jim Moore of Blacksburg.
Supervisor Henry Jablonski, noting that a difference of 1 percentage means thousands of dollars more for the county, also praised the treasurer. "You've done a lot to bring this thing down," he said.
The treasurer's office collects personal property taxes Dec. 5 and real estate taxes in two installments annually: Dec. 5 and June 5. Therefore, delinquent tax collection efforts are focused from July through the late fall, when there is not the crush of preparing tax bills or selling county stickers.
Two particularly effective means of collecting deliquent taxes include placing a lien on real estate closings fees on land for which taxes are owed, and in extreme cases, impounding vehicles, Meredith said. Three of the four vehicles impounded in the last two years remain locked up and will be sold if the delinquent tax bills are not satisfied.
The collection efforts have come without additional staff, Conner said.
"We're pushing those levies very hard," Meredith said.
by CNB