Despite pandemic, tax delinquencies plunge
Staff writer
Despite economic uncertainty amid a global pandemic, unpaid property taxes declined for a second straight year in Marion County, according to records published in this week’s newspaper.
A total of 456 properties owe a total of $344,223. That’s 14% fewer delinquent properties and 13% less unpaid taxes than last year.
This year’s decline continues a trend that began last year, with a whopping 42% decline in unpaid taxes, largely because of the resolved bankruptcy of Hillsboro Community Hospital.
Even excluding hospital delinquencies, that year saw a 16% decline in delinquent property tax payments after several years of rising delinquencies.
Among the county’s cities, Peabody again this year had the most delinquent properties and its property owners owed the most delinquent taxes:
City Parcels Amount
Peabody 93 $71,522
Marion 82 60,014
Hillsboro 34 44,870
Florence 71 33,617
Goessel 9 12,539
Burns 22 10,324
Lincolnville 12 7,260
Lehigh 14 6,715
Ramona 13 6,413
Lost Springs 17 4,907
Tampa 5 2,765
Durham 1 417
Peabody’s number of parcels rose 8% and its total of delinquent taxes rose 1%.
Marion’s delinquent parcels rose 1% but its total owed declined 14%. Hillsboro has 6% fewer delinquent parcels and 24% less taxes owed.
The only city other than Peabody where delinquencies increased sharply was Lost Springs, with 13% more properties owing 12% more money than last year.
Among townships, West Branch in the Goessel area and Catlin, just north of Peabody, had the greatest amounts owed.
Township Parcels Amount
West Branch 7 $13,004
Catlin 5 10,908
Centre 9 7,825
Clark 5 6,273
Gale 6 5,347
Menno 4 5,346
Lehigh 2 4,921
Lost Springs 6 4,597
Clear Creek 8 4,277
Summit 7 3,724
Wilson 3 3,477
East Branch 3 3,073
Milton 2 2,449
Logan 2 2,217
Peabody 2 2,138
Doyle 4 1,427
Fairplay 5 890
Risley 1 613
Liberty 2 358
Colfax 0 0
A complete list of delinquent properties is published, as required by state law, in the classified section of this week’s newspaper.
Cost of publishing the list is added to the amount delinquent taxpayers owe.
The largest unpaid bill is $8,681 owed by Shane S. and Shannon M. Rives on what appraisal records describe as an 18-year-old, 2,662-square-foot farm home and 156 acres of farmland at 810 Limestone Rd. in Summit Township, near Peabody.
Appraisal records indicate that taxes for the two previous years were paid on time but that taxes for the year before that were paid late.
The next largest unpaid tax bill is $6,607, owed by Nelson & Co. Properties on Birchwood Apartments at 906 E. D St. in Hillsboro.
Appraisal records indicate that taxes for the previous year also are unpaid and that the owner was late in paying taxes for each of two years before that.
Another frequently delinquent taxpayer, Dirksen Construction, in care of William Russell and Sharlee Fay Francis, owes $4,690 on 15-year-old, 1,950-square-foot home at 202 W. Main St. in Goessel.
The previous year’s taxes on that property also show up as unpaid, and payments have come in late for five consecutive years.
Juan Gomez is listed as owing $3,985 on Pueblo Viejo, a restaurant at 117 S. Main St. in Hillsboro. The property’s prior year taxes also were paid late.
South Central Kansas Economic Development District is listed as owing $3,657 on the former McGregor’s Pub building at 301 E. Main St. in Marion.
The property, now owned by Megan and Daryl Jones, has paid its taxes late for five consecutive years.
A DLH Enterprises duplex at 216 S. Lincoln St., Hillsboro, owes $2,768 and has paid it taxes late for five consecutive years.
DLH also owes $2,135 on nearby duplex with a similar payment history at 202 S. Lincoln St.
DLH appears to be owned by Kurt Mitchell Cogburn of Walsh, Colorado.
Other businesses with unpaid property taxes include Wagon Wheel Express at 202 W. Main St., Marion, on which owners Keith and Sherry Hess owe $2,398.
They also owe taxes for the two previous years, according to appraisal records. The two years before that were paid late.
Ram Manufacturing owes $1,968 on its former building at 111 E. 1st in Hillsboro. The site now is owned by Hillsboro’s municipal land bank.
Three properties owned by Baker Lofts — 117, 121, and 123 N. Walnut St. in Peabody — made the delinquent list with a total of $3,336 in unpaid property taxes. Peabody Main Street owes $735 on a nearby building at 109 N. Walnut St.
CMP Enterprises owes $1,594 on the Peabody Farm Service garage at 203 S. Maple St. Taxes for three previous years also haven’t been paid.
Physician Randolph Whitely owes $1,142 on his former medical office at 500 W. 4th St. in Peabody.
The complete list begins on Page 9.