Johnston County’s tax collection rate has increased.
Tax Administrator Sheila Garner told Johnston County Commissioners last week the tax office collected 99.84% of all taxes due last year, an increase from 99.80% the prior year.
A total of $105,623.956.60 in real and personal property taxes was billed in 2015. Of that amount, $105,453,200.78 was collected as of July 5, 2016. At the same time the amount of taxes being collected on real and personal property including motor vehicles had increased by 3.95 percent from a year earlier.
“Again this year I owe a great deal of gratitude to the many citizens of Johnston County that make it a priority to pay their taxes on time,” Garner said. “For fiscal year 15-16, 90 percent of the taxes owed were paid on time. This is an increase of two percent over the previous year.”
Among the actions to collect taxes, the county garnished wages from 594 individuals in 2015-16 and had 423 bank attachments. A total of 48 properties were turned over to a foreclosure attorney for collection. A total of 29 complaints had been filed and 9 more are pending.
Garner said payment arrangements were made with 831 people totaling $1,084,164.82. As of June 30th, only two accounts remained unpaid with a balance of $583.63.
The 99.84 collection rate was the highest of any county in North Carolina with a population of 100,000 or more residents and the second highest in the state. Ten years ago, the tax collection rate was 98.33 percent.
Commissioner Vice Chairman DeVan Barbour thanked Garner for her hard work and the work of her staff noting the importance of a high collection rate which helps the county continue to fund services including schools, law enforcement, and other governmental functions.
