Unpaid Property Taxes Take Center Stage

By John Severance and Nathalie Nance

SOCORRO -- With a little less than two months to go, the collection rate for 2009 property taxes stands at 62 percent, county treasurer Genevie Baca said this week.
During last week’s County Commission meeting, unpaid property taxes originating mostly from the Rio Grande Estates and Magdalena area were discussed. There are other areas in the county that are unpaid and many of these properties can not be located or identified.
“When are we going to have an estate sale?” asked commissioner Rumaldo Griego.
“That would be very appropriate” said county attorney Adren Nance, and added that legislators are working on a bill to give counties the right to foreclosure.
Baca cautioned, however, that most of the properties in question are less than an acre and difficult to sell.
Baca said there are 97 parcels that are identified as unknown with property taxes due of more than $48,000.
“These unknown parcels reflect on our delinquencies,” Baca said.
The county treasurer also said the parcels in Magdalena were bought by somebody in 1944 and that person recently died and there are no known heirs.
“There are $2,400 in delinquent taxes and no one has come forward,” Baca said.
Nance said after 10 years, whatever delinquent taxes are due, they are wiped away. “So every year, the county loses tens of thousands of dollars,” Nance said.
The last auction sale was in 1999 in Socorro County.
“People are willing to buy these parcels but they have to go to auction first,” Baca said.
Nance is hoping for legislation that would give the state and county equal jurisdiction when it comes to calling for these auctions. After two years, the county hands over the delinquent cases to the state.
And if the unpaid taxes are paid, the state gets two-thirds of the funds and the county one-third, Nance said.
In other business:
•The public nuisance ordinance was approved. “It is basically the same ordinance that has been in effect since 2001,” county attorney Adren Nance said. “We have made very few changes.” One of the changes that was made was that the ordinance now includes a definition of a nuisance.
•The funding for the Socorro General Hospital was approved and administrator Bo Beames was pleased that the hospital has scored top results in opinion polls. “I’m fortunate to work with a really great organization and great staff,” Beames said.
•Sheriff Philip Montoya reported that training of the Socorro deputies in Navajo law and police code has started, after which the cross commission between the Navajo Nation and Socorro County can take effect.
•Anthony Baca of Socorro was appointed to the DWI Planning Council. “I want to give back to my community” said Baca, who wanted to work with DWI for personal reasons. He said a friend committed suicide after being convicted for DWI several times.
• County Manager Delilah Walsh reported that the county’s insurance premiums have increased 26 percent. “We get more exclusions every year, but the premiums go up” said Walsh and added that Socorro County might share a penalty for counties that are not doing that well. Walsh assured the commission she would look into it.

Unpaid Property Taxes Take Center Stage