Corbin to take legal action against top 10 worst tax avoiders

Corbin city officials are starting from the top in their efforts to tackle the issue of delinquent property taxes by taking 10 worst offenders to court in an effort to collect the money.

At Monday’s meeting of the Corbin City Commission, the commissioners voted unanimously to approve a motion to authorize City Attorney Bob Hammons to file suit against the 10 individuals and companies that have the largest amount of delinquent taxes.

According to paperwork from Corbin City Manager Marlon Sams the top 10 owes a combined $125,831.51 in taxes to the city on 29 separate properties.

The individuals/groups and the amount they owe includes:

• Robert and Ursula Siler, Dewayne Perkins and U.S. Gold International $21,020.65 on five properties

• Ascencios Group $18,359.49 on five properties

• Mountain View Lodge $16,689.75 on one property

• Don and Edd Peace and Peace Realty $14,406.68 on four properties

• KAM of Corbin, Inc. $13,356.79 on four properties

• Sonny and Wanda Hart $13,216.40 on two properties

• Alice and Kenny Crawford $9,046.10 on five properties

• Vina, Inc. $7,862 on one property

• Bellsouth $6,680 on one property

• Kimberly F. Greer $5,193.65 on one property

Some of these date all the way back to 2002,” said Corbin City Collector Dorotha Weber.

That puts the city on the clock as Hammons said previously that cities have a maximum off 11 years to try to collect on a tax bill.

Sams said it is not just the city that loses out when taxes go unpaid. The taxes are divided between the city and Corbin Independent Schools. The city divides its portion between the general fund, library fund and police and fireman’s pension fund.

This is the second time Corbin has sought legal action to collect delinquent taxes.

In 2001, the city filed mass lawsuits in Knox and Whitley Circuit Court against more than 115 parcels of land in an effort to collect delinquent taxes.

City officials also saw results when they sent out notices to more than 3,000 taxpayers concerning delinquent property taxes. The city collected $169,000 from that effort.

Even without the lawsuits and notices, the city has an option to collect the delinquent taxes, sooner or later. In Kentucky, a tax lien is automatically placed on property with tax delinquency. That lien must be satisfied before the sale or transfer of the property may be completed.

“We are going after the worst ones right now,” said Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney. “On these taxes, there’s a whole bunch of money out there to get. Some of these people owe quite a bit.”