Area tax delinquencies fairly low, but foreclosures up

By Hillary Gavan
Daily News staff writer

“This office has not seen a significant increase in delinquent property taxes,” said Rock County Treasurer Vicki Brown. “Nothing drastic has happened in Rock County. I did not think this year was any different than any other in terms of unpaid real estate taxes.”

Brown explained that the City of Beloit is the only municipality in the county which has four installments of property taxes due on Jan. 31, March 31, May 31 and July 31. The 28 other municipalities in Rock County have payments due on Jan. 31 and July 31.

For the past two years, only around 5 percent of tax bills weren't paid on time.

In 2005, for example, the county had 68,222 parcels of real estate and the total countywide tax levy was $190 million. As of Sept. 1, 2006, when the county treasurer issued a tax lien certificate, only 3,380 parcels were not paid, or 4.9 percent.

In 2006, there were 69,319 parcels in the county and the total countywide tax levy was $196.5 million. As of Sept. 1, 2007, the county treasurer issued 3,514 tax certificates, or 5 percent of that owed.

Although that is 134 more than the previous year, Brown stressed that there were more real estate parcels than in the past.

“As we sit today, there is only $5.2 million out of $196.5 million still due,” Brown said. “I don't think it's an issue in Rock County.”

What is an issue in Rock County, however, are mortgage foreclosures, according to Sgt. Brent DeRemer, from the Rock County Sheriff's Department.

“Foreclosures are up. We are definitely following the national trend,” DeRemer said.

For example, there were 351 foreclosures in Rock County in 2006. That number is up from 340 in 2005, 310 in 2003, 279 in 2002 and only 153 in 2001.

DeRemer said the value of property sold at the Sheriff's Department in 2006 was $32.2 million, up from $27.1 million in 2005.

Many property owners work out a property tax payment plan with their mortgage company. Part of their monthly mortgage payment goes into an escrow account which the mortgage company pays to the county for property taxes owed.

South of the border in Winnebago County, there are more unpaid tax bills as compared to last year - although the number is still pretty low, according to Winnebago County Treasurer Susan Goral.

There are about 4,500 parcels out of the 117,000 taxable parcels in the county, which haven't been paid for yet. The bills are due next Monday, Oct. 22. That means, as of Tuesday afternoon, only 3.8 percent of bills were missing.

In the past two years, however, Goral said that Winnebago County has only been missing tax payments on about 2,000 parcels, or only about 1.7 percent of bills.

“Some of the bills might still come in. We have more time, so there is still quite a bit that could come in,” Goral said.