Selectmen take action on delinquent property taxpayers

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Farmington Selectmen, from left to right: Andrew Buckland, Stephan Bunker, Joshua Bell; Town Manager Richard Davis
The Farmington Board of Selectmen at Tuesday’s meeting, from left to right: Andrew Buckland, Stephan Bunker, Joshua Bell; Town Manager Richard Davis; Matthew Smith and Michael Fogg.

FARMINGTON – Selectmen unanimously approved taking action on tax acquired properties and to collect delinquent personal property taxes owed by seven businesses at their meeting Tuesday night.

A total of 43 properties have been foreclosed on as of Aug. 7, which represents $146,872.10 in unpaid taxes owed to the town, said Town Manager Richard Davis.

“It’s a fairly substantial amount and (when collected) could help replenish our fund balance,” Davis said.

Of that total, 23 property owners, behind in payments of up to three years, have made arrangements for a payment schedule or have had some sort of communication with the town’s treasurer, Diana Young, towards making back payments.

The balance of 20 property owners have not paid or paid very little of their taxes owed for more than three years on up to 12 years, as in the case of one property owner.

Young said that every year she sends a letter to property owners who are behind in their taxes on what the total is along with the current year’s tax bill. If there is no response, a letter is sent notifying the property owner that a lien will be placed on the property in 18 months unless the debt owed is paid. If there is no payment response another letter is sent that notifies the property owner the foreclosure process will automatically commence within 30 to 45 days, according to law.

Once a property has been foreclosed on the municipality can move forward with a quit claim deed which sells the property for what is owed in taxes.

Young said she also sends a letter or two explaining the foreclosure process including the public notification wording of their property’s sale when it goes to publication.

“Some of these older ones (those who have been foreclosed on years ago) know I’m all talk,” Young told selectmen. “We don’t want to take anybody’s property away,” she added.

She said some property owners “are hoping we don’t take action and there are some that can’t pay. Others are deceased and their heirs can’t pay the taxes owed,” Young explained.

“Our goal is to get what’s owed the town,” Davis said.

“You don’t want to throw somebody out on the street. Maybe they lost their job,” or have some other reason that they can’t pay their taxes,” said Selectmen Chair Joshua Bell. But, he added, it’s not fair to those property owners who are paying their taxes on time.

Selectman Stephan Bunker said it’s easy enough to at least “be in communication; come in to the town office and say, ‘I’ve had some tough times.'” Young indicated she is eager to help those who need it and set up a payment schedule that works for them.

Selectmen approved sending two different letters out that indicates the town is possession of their property but will give those who have shown a good faith effort to make payments in a reasonable amount of time to pay what is owed and notify those who haven’t that they have 45 days to do something or their property will be advertised for sale.

Selectmen also authorized the town’s tax collector, though the town’s attorney, to take seven businesses to small claims court in an attempt to collect delinquent personal property taxes.

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10 Comments

  1. Businesses and they let it go come on, 12 years without home owners paying Taxes, so taxes keep going up for the ones that do. Time to move

  2. Is it any wonder so many can’t afford their taxes after the exorbitant increases over the last 5 years? With the government it is always portrayed as a revenue issue, but the reality is it’s always due to unconstrained spending.

  3. Absolutely agree with Taxpayer. I live in Chesterville on a privately owned camp road. I’ve seen my property taxes increase 62% over the last 2 years alone. I asked one of our selectman what it’s going to take to start foreclosing on some of the delinquent tax properties. His answer was a little surprising to me when he said that many people have fallen on “hard times”. As much as this breaks my heart, those of us that pay our taxes year in and year out are now falling into the “hard times” category. When will the town help us out?
    Why would anyone move to Chesterville now with the taxes similar to other towns without any of the same conveniences and services as neighboring towns? Potholes are bigger? Wait, that’s not a good selling point..

  4. Just addressing one part of this whole thing. I can’t believe the properties get sold for just what is owed in taxes. Maybe some aren’t worth much more, but if they are, shouldn’t they be sold at some kind of fair market value with the excess going to the owners which might help them out? Do the owners have the right to sell before the town does? Doesn’t seem right that someone (usually connected) gets a sweet deal. I wish owning land didn’t mean still paying on it for the rest of your life (and if you can’t, you lose it).

  5. I think you will find that the School District is the biggest culprit in “unconstrained spending”.

  6. Some people just don’t care if they don’t pay their taxes until they get that important letter from the town, but I agree with all, these taxes are there for a reason and if people don’t pay then they need to pay the fiddler, if a payment plan is in place and it’s broken then they need to buck up. There are reasons for taxes.I know I usually wait until the last minute to pay mine too sometimes.

  7. Pinetree: The taxes and other municipal liens, such as Sewer Liens, MUST be satisfied before a new owner has a clear title on a property. If an owner chooses to sell before taxes are paid, the new owner will be responsible, even if the previous owner doesn’t bother to tell them. So anyone with any smarts, gets a title search done before buying a tax acquired property. There might even be a mortgage on it.

  8. a young student enrolls at college. the finance office offers them terms to receive funding. after four years, the economy has nearly collapsed, employment needs have changed, and the job market is saturated with degree-holding laborers. the former student demands relief and loan forgiveness. absurd, right? that an adult who knowingly and willingly enters into a contract has the nerve to suggest that contract should be annulled? how irresponsible.

    meanwhile, down the street: a young family buys their first home or business, fully knowing–whether they like it or not–that paying taxes is part of the deal of property ownership in this great nation. surprising to nobody with a rudimentary grasp of economics, history, or physics, taxes go up over the years. now the family insists such an arrangement is an atrocious theft and violation of rights.

    go figure.

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