The City of Yorkton is moving to advertise a list of properties in the city which are in arrears of their property taxes.
“In September 2016, a total of 171 letters were sent out advising property owners that if their arrears were not paid by October 5, 2016, their property would be advertised in the local newspaper. As of the date of this report there are still 59 properties that are still unpaid and therefore will be advertised in the local newspaper,” explained Shannon Bell, Director of Finance with the City at the regular meeting of Yorkton Council Monday.
Bell noted the list is longer this year, but with reason.
“Under … The Tax Enforcement Act Council may make an exception for those properties where the amount of taxes in arrears does not exceed one half of the immediately preceding year’s tax levy. The City has opted to use this approach for the past two years, however once the half payment was made no other payments on the property have been received and there are now multiple properties that should have tax liens on the properties and do not,” she told Council.
Following authorization, the City will advertise the legal land description and arrears owing in the local newspaper.
The total of the arrears that are going to be advertised is $359,786.65, which is 1.99 per cent of the City’s total taxes received in 2015 of $18,090,657.51
If arrears are not paid by January 15, 2017, a tax lien will be registered on the property.
