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Additional fees could be assessed if taxes not paid by Aug. 1.
By NANCY J. SULOK
Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND — County Treasurer Sean J. Coleman is sending out letters to warn some
delinquent taxpayers that their properties could be listed in this year's tax sale if they don't pay by Aug. 1.

Roughly 6,000 properties are on the current sales list because their 2006 property taxes haven't been paid, Coleman said. The 2006 taxes were due in 2007. Late payments are assessed a penalty, but once they are placed on the sales list, they also are assessed tax sale fees.

If a property owner didn't pay the spring installment of taxes last year, Coleman said, the property is eligible for this year's sale, which will be Oct. 8.

The situation is a little unusual this year, the treasurer said, because last year's property tax bills were not sent out until September. The spring tax payments had to be paid by Nov. 13, in one installment.In a normal year, the spring taxes would be due on May 10, with property owners having the option of paying half in the spring and half in the fall. The county is on the same track this year, still awaiting approval from the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance of data needed to set the 2007 tax rates.

To alleviate the stress of having a single large tax payment at the end of the year, Coleman sent out letters in June giving taxpayers the option of making an estimated payment of half of their 2007 bills.

Thousands of taxpayers have opted to do that, Coleman said, and early payments totaled $33.3 million earlier this week.

The money now is being distributed to local governments, helping to ease their financial burdens.

Staff writer Nancy J. Sulok
(574) 235-6234