HARWICH – Selectmen in Harwich are expressing concerns for a plan to auction outstanding tax liens to private bidders this month.
Currently, there are 300 properties with tax liens totaling over $5.5 million.
Selectmen recently voted 3-2 to have to Town Administrator Christopher Clark ask the Treasurer/Tax Collector Amy Bullock to postpone the June 6 auction.
Selectman Michael MacAskill wants to know why there is a rush to go to auction.
“How do we as a board know and how do we as a town know that these aren’t elderly people that can’t pay their taxes or young people who are afraid to come before a board or afraid to call a tax collector and say ‘can I make a payment plan,’” MacAskill said.
Clark supports the auction as a means to increase revenue for the town.
“I certainly do think that the treasurer/collector is right in doing this,” he said. “And I have been supportive of her in this effort in order to make sure we maximize the collections that are allowable by law.”
Clark said the auction would not affect any residents or property owners who recently became delinquent.
“All of these properties are over a year in delinquency,” Clark said.
More than half of the $5.5 million owed is interest and fees.
As of last May less than 30 percent of the properties had homes or buildings on them and only a third of those appeared to be owner occupied, according to Bullock.
The majority or the properties that have structures are either rental properties or second homes.
The town has recently collected more than $115,000 in owed taxes and fees ahead of the auction.
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