Porter County officials held their annual delinquent property tax sale on
Wednesday, resulting in the collection of $2,896,689.34 from owners and
buyers.
The sale was conducted by County Auditor Robert Wichlinski and County
Treasurer Michael Bucko.
A property tax sale is required to be held in each Indiana county for those
properties where an owner of real estate fails to pay the property taxes
from the prior year’s first property tax bill installment. A tax lien on the
property may be sold to satisfy the tax obligation to the highest bidder.
The owners of the properties sold at the tax sale have one year to pay the
delinquent property taxes, costs and penalties to keep the property.
The sale, conducted by Indianapolis-based SRI Incorporated on behalf of
Porter County, offered 158 parcels to 56 bidders. SRI conducts tax sales in
83 counties in Indiana, Michigan and Colorado.
A total of 658 parcels had all taxes, penalties, and costs paid in full.
“Tax sales are a necessary function of county government. It is only fair to
the people who pay their property taxes every year to pursue those who do
not pay,” said Bucko.
For the 60 properties that did not sell, the County Commissioners acquire a
tax lien. The Commissioners may offer those properties to the public at a
later date.
Wichlinski commented, “It is our ultimate goal to return these properties to
the tax rolls as quickly and efficiently as possible. Property owned by
people that pay their property taxes ensure our local government services
are fully funded.”
For more information on property tax sales, visit www.sri-taxsale.com
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