Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, September 21, 1994 TAG: 9409230027
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
Corn said she's concerned that Spiers and attorney Paul Barnett are not concentrating on those who owe the most.
"A man owes 5-, 6-, $7,000 and we're not proceeding," Corn said. "There's something wrong with the way we're doing it."
"You just tell us what you want us to do," Spiers retorted.
More than once, Spiers told Corn that he and Barnett were going after the deadbeats systematically, but there was only so much two people could do. "You'll need a legal office staffed by five lawyers to get it as quickly as you seem to want it," he said.
Not easily swayed, Corn said she was disturbed by those who "openly, deliberately and defiantly" fail to pay their taxes, including one person highlighted on her lengthy computer printout who "hasn't paid a nickel" and a business that has not paid personal property taxes in six years.
"We need to be watching these people," she insisted.
While some tax delinquents paid up promptly after getting dunning letters from the city, Spiers and Barnett have gone to court to collect on several hard-core cases by confiscating the property, an expensive and time-consuming process. Even then, Barnett said, the property sale sometimes fails to raise enough money to cover the tax liability.
The city also uses a collection agency to recoup some overdue payments. However, the agency gets one-third of the take.
City Treasurer Martin "Jigger" Roberts said his office already was hard pressed to keep abreast of day-to-day collections without worrying about those who fail to pay. The city has one of the best collection rates in the commonwealth - more than 99 percent for property taxes and approximately 94.5 percent for personal property taxes, Roberts said after the meeting.
City Councilman Bob Nicholson said the tally of unpaid taxes and city-provided utilities over the past 12 years comes close to $1 million in all, the biggest chunk - some $499,000 - in personal property taxes.
"Someone has to make up the loss when they're not paying," he said, calling the printouts "a little shocking."
Finance Director Jess Cantline recommended the city write off unpaid tax bills more than five years old and concentrate on doing a better job in the future.
Council was unable to reach consensus on altering its delinquent tax collections policy, but it did agree to open the suggestion box for council members and city administrators to recommend more efficient ways to tackle the task.
"I think your recommendations should not be by totals but by names," said Corn, who plans to submit her own recommendations in writing.
Spiers agreed to issue progress reports every two weeks. Council plans to take up the issue again next month.
by CNB