MONROE - Green County property and estate owners owe about $101,000 in delinquent taxes for the taxable year of 2011, and County Clerk Mike Doyle said he will set up payment plans to acquire the delinquent funds.
Doyle said he has the option to set up 90-day closing deeds on delinquent tax property, but he would rather work with people and help them through their financial troubles.
"That would be the quick and easy way, but it's not what I choose to do," Doyle said.
The Green County Board unanimously approved a motion on Tuesday to allow Doyle to begin contacting the 59 entities across the county that have unpaid taxes for the 2011 tax year. Doyle said he does this every year and always tries to set up payment plans to help mitigate the interest and penalties as well as pay off the delinquent tax.
Doyle said he waits until after Christmas to start contacting people.
Some of the amounts left unpaid are as small as $18, but there are a few delinquent taxes for as much as $8,900 for one business. The city of Monroe has the highest number of total delinquent taxes in the county at $33,681, but most of the other municipalities have totals unpaid for the 2011 tax year below $10,000.
Green County Treasurer Sherri Hawkins said each year they look at delinquent taxes from two or more years back and make contact with property owners.
"There's some that are really close to catching up," Hawkins said. "Most of them are up to date on their current taxes, for this year, but we try to help them as best we can."
Hawkins said Doyle is always working to help people with delinquent taxes, but annually they need board approval to send out notices.
"He calls them his Christmas letters," Hawkins joked.
Doyle said he still has some taxpayers who have delinquent taxes from as far back as 2009, but he works with real estate agents, cities and townships to try and avoid putting a person into bankruptcy.
"We had one guy in Brodhead that couldn't pay, and I was going to have to put up a 90-day tax deed on the property, but we worked with a Realtor and got the place sold," Doyle said.
Doyle said he has the option to set up 90-day closing deeds on delinquent tax property, but he would rather work with people and help them through their financial troubles.
"That would be the quick and easy way, but it's not what I choose to do," Doyle said.
The Green County Board unanimously approved a motion on Tuesday to allow Doyle to begin contacting the 59 entities across the county that have unpaid taxes for the 2011 tax year. Doyle said he does this every year and always tries to set up payment plans to help mitigate the interest and penalties as well as pay off the delinquent tax.
Doyle said he waits until after Christmas to start contacting people.
Some of the amounts left unpaid are as small as $18, but there are a few delinquent taxes for as much as $8,900 for one business. The city of Monroe has the highest number of total delinquent taxes in the county at $33,681, but most of the other municipalities have totals unpaid for the 2011 tax year below $10,000.
Green County Treasurer Sherri Hawkins said each year they look at delinquent taxes from two or more years back and make contact with property owners.
"There's some that are really close to catching up," Hawkins said. "Most of them are up to date on their current taxes, for this year, but we try to help them as best we can."
Hawkins said Doyle is always working to help people with delinquent taxes, but annually they need board approval to send out notices.
"He calls them his Christmas letters," Hawkins joked.
Doyle said he still has some taxpayers who have delinquent taxes from as far back as 2009, but he works with real estate agents, cities and townships to try and avoid putting a person into bankruptcy.
"We had one guy in Brodhead that couldn't pay, and I was going to have to put up a 90-day tax deed on the property, but we worked with a Realtor and got the place sold," Doyle said.