The Athens County Treasurer's Office has compiled a list of 1,450 names of mobile home owners who owe more than $866,000 total in delinquent mobile home taxes.
The office has contacted the Athens County Prosecuting Attorney C. David Warren, and those who do not pay or make payment arrangements with the treasurer's office will have an action filed against them in the common pleas court.
Punishments could include foreclosure and wage garnishment, which is taking a person's wages to satisfy a debt, Warren said. A person cannot be imprisoned for back taxes. I'm limiting it to civil options
he said.
Athens County Treasurer JaVon Kittle Cooper said this amount in delinquent taxes has accumulated over the last five years and needs to be collected.
We have to do this. We are in charge of collecting taxes and we are doing our job said Cooper.
Those who owe the largest sums of money will be notified by letter in the next few days. They will have ten days to respond before Warren files an action against them.
Some of the debts owed are as little as $13, but many are more than $3,000. The largest debt owed is $12,047.29, possibly more than the worth of the offender's mobile home.
Cooper said that foreclosure is her last option. I don't want to foreclose on anyone
but this has gone on for several years. This is our last recourse. This is money that we could be using for our schools or the rest of the county. These people have had opportunities before.
Warren was hopeful that most people would not be foreclosed out of their homes. There will be some [foreclosures]. I don't know if there will be a lot. Before with the real estate office
when we demonstrated that we were willing to foreclose
they made payment plans.
Those who cannot pay immediately will be considered for payment plans. Right now
we are asking for payment in full
but each case will be considered separately
Cooper said.
Athens County has more than 5,000 mobile homes, second only to Meigs County in Ohio.
-Jason Lea
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