Vance County Tax Collector Sam Jones gave his monthly report to the Vance County Board of Commissioners on Monday evening.
He said that most people are concerned with 2006 tax collections at this time of year.
He informed commissioners that at the end of January 2007 that the County was four-tenths of one percent behind where it was last year in the tax collection rate. Initially he said that he didn’t “know any concrete reason for this,” but later in his presentation, he attributed this to an additional $25,000 in vehicle taxes that were billed in 2006 than in the previous tax year.
Jones also stated that several large tax payers had not paid at this time who had paid at this point in time last year.
2006 property taxes were due in the first week of January. Unpaid taxes from 2006 are now considered overdue.
Board member Dan Brummitt asked if Vance County’s collection numbers were in line with other counties. Jones replied that Vance’s numbers are less than Franklin and Granville Counties. Jones stated a need for “more big payers”. He informed members that losing Rose’s and the cotton mill had hurt the county.
Brummitt asked Jones to compare Vance’s collection rate with that of Lee County and others that have suffered job losses. Jones replied that he did not know.
County Commissioner Danny Wright acknowledged a corelation between job losses and low collection rates.
Brummitt asked the tax collector at what point foreclosures begin. Jones answered that payers have to be about nine years behind.
Once a tax bill has reached its tenth year of delinquency, it is no longer collectable under North Carolina law.
Vance County Board of Commissioners Chair Deborah Brown asked if that was the earliest that foreclosure could begin. Jones informed her that foreclosure could start anytime that taxes are overdue. Brown stated that the Board may want to revisit that issue.
The newly-appointed chair went on to say that commissioners could only remain hopeful that collections would increase between now and the end of the fiscal year.
Jones ended his presentation by stating a need to look at the “big payers”.
County Manager Jerry Ayscue, with the permission of the members of the board, added the tax collection issue to the agenda of the Commission’s scheduled retreat.
The 2005 and 2006 tax collection figures may be viewed here.