State returns $338.8K to Miller County

Money comes from paying of delinquent taxes, selling seized property at auction

The Commissioner of State Lands presented a turnback check of $338,839.24 Thursday to Miller County, Ark., according Commissioner John Thurston.

The turnback comes from the paying of delinquent real estate taxes and from proceeds in excess of taxes due when the COSL sells property.

“Our whole purpose in collecting delinquent real estate taxes, and in selling long-delinquent properties, is to get that funding to the counties where it is owed,” Thurston said. “When we sell properties that have been delinquent for many years, it gets them back onto the county tax rolls, producing income that helps a county with its roads, schools and emergency services.”

Since Thurston took office in 2011, the COSL has returned almost $119 million to counties across Arkansas. Turnback totals have declined slightly during the past few years, but more properties are returning to county tax rolls, he said.

Additionally, the opening bid on auctioned property is the accrued delinquent taxes and related penalties, when in the past it was the assessed property value.

“More people are purchasing property now, since bidding begins lower and the waiting period is shorter,” Thurston said. “Overall, we’re returning more properties to private ownership, which benefits the counties that can now collect

annual taxes on those properties,” he said.

Property goes to the COSL office when it is two years delinquent. Owners then have two more years to redeem the property before it goes to public auction. If a parcel sells at auction, the owner has 10 business days after the sale to redeem the property. Any parcels not sold at auction are placed on the COSL’s post-auction sales list, where the public can submit offers to purchase.

The Commissioner of State Lands’ online catalog of tax-delinquent lands at cosl.org contains the current statutes governing the sale, auction date, time, location and other pertinent information regarding parcels being offered.

Submitted photo Arkansas Commissioner of State Lands recently presented a check for $338,839.24 in turnback money to Miller County. The presentation included, left, Cathy Hardin Harrison, tax collector; Mary Stuart, tax assessor; Commissioner of State Lands John...