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Tax collector reports high collection rates; commissioners accept 2024 tax settlement and insolvent list
Summary
Tax collector presented 2024 collections and recommended placing certain aged personal-property bills on the insolvent list; board accepted the settlement and directed staff to pursue collection remedies and staffing hires to improve appraisal capacity.
Tax Administrator/Deputy presented the statutorily-required property tax settlement for the 2024 levy and outlined collection activity and recommendations for aged uncollectible bills.
Data presented: The collector reported real-property delinquencies of $1,977,250.88 and personal-property delinquencies of $516,744.56 (figures as of 07/01/2025). The presentation included a recommendation to place personal-property and motor-vehicle bills from 2010 through 2014 that remain delinquent on the insolvent list for statutory relief; the packet cited roughly 7,250 old RV bills totaling $595,014.98 and about 1,580 personal-property bills totaling $271,759.88 that staff recommended classifying as insolvent and effectively removed from active collection due to statute limitations or uncollectibility.
Collections and enforcement: Staff described enforced-collections remedies in use — garnishments, bank attachments and foreclosure on tax parcels — and reported that enforced collections produced revenue and that outreach efforts continue to improve timely payments. The office reported a historical collection-rate range around 97-98% on levies and set a goal of improving toward 98%.
Staffing and operations: The tax office said it is seeking to fill appraisal positions to support upcoming reappraisal cycles and reduce dependence on temporary workers; the collector said hiring appraisers is a priority. Board members asked for more detail on garnishments and foreclosure results, merchant-fee arrangements for payments (the county now has a $1.99 flat option for some payments through Tyler), and whether bills will be mailed on schedule. Staff said they expect to print and mail bills on schedule and are actively processing statements.
Outcome: The board moved to accept the tax settlement required by North Carolina General Statute 105-373 (presentation of tax-collection activities and request to accept insolvent list). The motion carried.
Why it mattered: The settlement is a statutory prerequisite for the tax collector to be charged with next year's levy; staff said better staffing in appraisal and collections will aid accuracy and collections and reduce reliance on temporary help.
