Collector: tax sales can raise millions but blight proceeds fell short

At the March 9 budget review the tax collector outlined how the office manages revenue collection, tax sales and recent efforts to include zoning/blight liens in tax sales.

Collector Lisa B said the tax collector’s office collects property taxes, sewer use charges (about $20 million annually), municipal fees and newer revenue sources such as marijuana tax and zoning fines. She emphasized the office’s small but experienced staff — eight long‑term employees — and noted that tax sale seed costs (title searches, advertising, legal notices) are recovered from properties sold.

When asked how much a tax sale can raise, Lisa said the office’s yield varies by cycle but that they typically generate between “5 to 7 million” dollars in a sale year. She explained the office will rerun delinquent lists and set a cutoff by dollar amount (e.g., $10,000–$15,000) to assemble the July sale list.

Lisa also described the city’s initial attempt to include zoning and blight liens in a tax sale. She said some of those liens were negotiated downward in the legal/perfection process and the sale ultimately produced roughly 60% of the initial target amount. To avoid repeat problems she directed law and zoning staff to perfect liens before turning them over for collection: “please don’t give it to us to collect until the lien is perfected and you don't have any intention of reducing the amounts due,” she said.

On payments, Lisa said the office is moving to a new online provider and the administration agreed to absorb a reduced electronic‑check fee (current provider passes $1.25 to the taxpayer; the new vendor would allow the city to absorb about $0.25), a change intended to encourage e‑payments and reduce paper and fraud risks.

Next steps: Lisa will finalize tax sale criteria, proceed with lein perfection coordination with law/zoning, and provide follow‑up numbers on blight sale collections when available.