County owed $600K in delinquent taxes
Anderson County has collected about 99% of its property taxes from 2023, but there is still $630,850 that hasn’t been paid.
County Trustee Regina Copeland gave that figure at the County Commission’s July 21 meeting, adding that she was “pretty pleased” that the county had collected most of its taxes already.
The statistics about 2023 came as part of a routine measure that the county performs, relieving Copeland of liability for these taxes now that a tax attorney has filed suits in the Chancery Court.
In her comments to the commission, she said one hotel property owner near the interstate had failed to pay more than $100,000 and was two years behind.
“They’ll be treated like everybody else,” Copeland said of this hotel property.
She added they’ll receive the summons, and if it is not paid, the property will be sold by the delinquent-tax attorney.
The attorney, with the Anderson County Clerk and Master, plans to sell delinquent property in September from people who owe taxes from many previous years.
Commissioner Shain Vowell made the motion to move the cases to court, and Commissioner Joshua Anderson seconded. It passed unanimously.
“It’s great to see all this caught up; I appreciate it,” Vowell said.
Commission Chairman Tyler Mayes agreed, telling Copeland tht “99% is so good.”
“You’re in the 1% in the state by doing that,” he said.
July was the month not just for dealing with people who owed back taxes, but also for approving a new property tax rate for next year.
The new rate that was approved July 21 is $1.5037 for Anderson County, $1.4889 for the city of Clinton, and $1.4065 for the city of Oak Ridge. The previous county property rate was $2.6289 for Anderson County, $2.6016 for Clinton, and $2.4560 for Oak Ridge. These cities do, however, have their own additional property tax rates.
This is a reappraisal year. The state of Tennessee gave the county and its cities tax rates based on new property assessments. Anderson County Finance Department Director Robert Holbrook said these new rates “will generate property tax revenue consistent with the prior year.”
“The purpose of a reappraisal is to bring property values to current market value and maintain equalization,” he said.
