I celebrated the New Year yesterday by running my first draft of my 1040. Six W-2s to come, self-employment tax to calculate, but no ugly surprises yet!
Our federal income tax complications are nothing like the complications for folks who haven't paid their local property taxes yet. Lake County Treasurer Linda Fischer says the county just purchased tax sales certificates on 94 delinquent Lake County properties. Fischer tells MDL's Jane Utecht says that's down from 109 last year.
As I review the records on the Lake County property tax database, I find the following properties leading the list of amounts due in delinquent property taxes:
Property Owner | Address & Township | Bill Year | Amount |
Krishana Govinda Hospitality | 1515 NW 2nd St, Madison | 2010 | $11,083.55 |
Krishana Govinda Hospitality | 1515 NW 2nd St, Madison | 2011 | $10,510.63 |
Krishana Govinda Hospitality | 1515 NW 2nd St, Madison | 2012 | $9,643.06 |
Krishana Govinda Hospitality | 1515 NW 2nd St, Madison | 2013 | $9,508.93 |
Devco Properties LLC | 1606 NE 3rd St, Madison | 2013 | $9,016.44 |
Devco Properties LLC | 1606 NE 3rd St, Madison | 2013 | $5,746.12 |
Todd R & Denis D Bothwell | 102 Silver Creek Dr, Wentworth | 2012 | $4,971.91 |
SJ Terveen LLC | 602 NW 9th St, Madison | 2012 | $4,851.07 |
SJ Terveen LLC | 602 NW 9th St, Madison | 2013 | $4,826.48 |
Kenneth & Theresa Skluzacek | 837 N Maplewood Dr, Madison | 2010 | $4,567.08 |
Thomas R Johnson | 902 SW 3rd St, Madison | 2013 | $4,533.13 |
David & Pauline Thielbar | 1300 SE 10th St, Madison | 2013 | $4,520.85 |
Kenneth & Theresa Skluzacek | 837 N Maplewood Dr, Madison | 2011 | $4,322.06 |
Oluf & Fay Hansen | 141 S Railway Ave, Ramona | 2011 | $4,288.08 |
Alan B & Etal Bowden | 4391 Horizon Hts, Chester | 2013 | $4,147.42 |
Kenneth & Theresa Skluzacek | 837 N Maplewood Dr, Madison | 2012 | $4,008.43 |
Oluf & Fay Hansen | 141 S Railway Ave, Ramona | 2012 | $3,769.53 |
Loren & Amy Lindholm | 46038 234 St, Wentworth | 2013 | $3,744.89 |
Todd R & Denis D Bothwell | 102 Silver Creek Dr, Wentworth | 2013 | $3,734.65 |
Joseph Walwik & Janice Jayes | 304 NE 4th St, Madison | 2010 | $3,674.10 |
Oluf & Fay Hansen | 141 S Railway Ave, Ramona | 2013 | $3,640.45 |
Jeffrey A Koob | 714 Best Point Dr, Lakeview | 2013 | $3,466.70 |
Joseph Walwik & Janice Jayes | 304 NE 4th St, Madison | 2012 | $3,223.00 |
Tom & Kim Paradeis | 1106 N Olive Ave, Madison | 2013 | $3,036.22 |
Theodore & Marietta Faszer | 804 Best Point Dr, Lakeview | 2013 | $3,025.96 |
These fourteen top delinquent property holders by themselves owe $131,860.74. They could square up and cover the salaries of three or four county employees.
The smallest delinquent amount listed belongs to friend of the blog Michael Black, who the county says owes $1.61 on Lots 13, 14, and 15 of Block 4 on Rutland Village Original Plat #1322, plus a numerologically auspicious $11.11 from 2012. Mike could head down to the courthouse, buy Treasurer Fischer lunch, and call it good.
Update 11:51 CST: Elsewhere, the legals in the Watertown Public Opinion show that the Watertown Development Company owes Codington County $14,309.05. Better kick those economic development efforts into higher gear!
Would the county start proceedings to foreclose on the Krishana Govinda Hospitality dba Lake Park Motel in 2015?
When I lived in Colorado back in the mid 1980's a group was formed to buy the tax notes. we got 18% ROI, and after 3 years we could get a tax deed and own the property. it was fun to go to the auction...Why does So Dak not do that?
I've never gone to a tax deed sale but I think you can do that in SD.
Thanks Nick...maybe it was just publicized more 30 years ago. The county in Colorado made a big deal of the Sheriff selling tax notes. Almost a social event.
I've seen legal notices for them in my county.
I better watch the small print in the Madison Daily Leader
You can pay the taxes on a delinquent property in SD. At least you could in the late 1990s.
A church I served in northeast SD had already begun doing so for a decrepit house next to the church. In that very small town the house was worth very little and it turned out to be a money losing proposition. There were some red-faced council members over that.
Lynn, I'd think the county would eventually seize the property. Fischer says in the MDL article that the county has to wait three years before starting the tax deed process, but Krishana Govinda has been skipping its check for four years. That's prime property on Highway 34; I'd think the county could seize it and sell it for a killing to some enterprising developer.
If the county seizes property for back taxes and sells it for more than the tax+interest+penalty+expenses does it pocket the difference or does it give the delinquent owner the excess funds?