Date: Fri 31-Jul-1998

Publication: Bee

Author: STEVEB

Quick Words:

town-meeting-tax-liens

Full Text:

Town Meeting Approves Sale Of Tax Liens

Newtown residents approved the idea of selling off the town's tax liens to a

collection agency at a town meeting Monday night.

Actually, no members of the public showed up to speak on the issue, so the

plan was simply given approval by the selectmen, a handful of town officials,

and the press.

Newtown has a total of about $1.5 million in outstanding taxes. The town is

expected to realize 100 percent payment on the liens with the collection

agency making its money on the interest owed.

Once the town sells its liens, the money will be deposited into the year's

capital and non-recurring expenditures account to be used to offset the

anticipated $1.3 million revenue shortfall in the 1999-2000 budget.

Delinquent taxpayers will be given one last opportunity to pay up before the

issue is passed on to a collection agency. Finance Director Ben Spragg

suggested that most residents would prefer dealing with the town rather than a

private tax collection agency.

The sale of municipal tax liens was only recently permitted by the state.