Brandon Lane of the Linebarger collection team briefed Sunnyvale's Town Council on the firm's delinquent tax and fines-and-fees work for the town and highlighted the methods and results of their collection program.

Lane said the firm does not bill the town directly; rather, the firm's fee is added to a delinquent taxpayer's bill under the collection process. "So the town doesn't pay us anything," Lane said, explaining the firm is paid out of penalties and collections. He added that many collections are resolved through phone contact and negotiated pay agreements and that the firm focuses lawsuits on larger accounts that justify court costs.

On outcomes, Lane said the firm collected about $167,000 for the town in delinquent taxes in the last reporting cycle and about $125,000 on fines and fees since the town contract began in May 2019. He explained some accounts are classed as "on hold" (for example proper homestead deferrals) or uncollectible (for dissolved businesses), and that business personal property often proves harder to collect.

Council members asked about fee structure and account types; Lane reiterated the fee is a statutory penalty added to delinquent accounts and described Linebarger's skip-tracing and site-visit efforts to locate debtors. Sophronia Johnson, the firm's senior project manager for fines and fees, was present to answer operational questions.

No formal council action was taken; staff said they would bring any requested detail back if council wanted deeper breakdowns.