Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Tax Collections topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Linebarger reports $1.28 million collected for latest tax year; board approves publishing delinquent taxpayers’ names
Summary
Linebarger reported about $1.28 million collected for the most recent tax year and outlined collection practices including eight mailings and statutory 20% penalties; trustees voted 6–0 to publish delinquent taxpayers’ names in the local newspaper in September 2025.
The Rockport‑Fulton ISD Board received its annual delinquent tax collections report from Linebarger, Goggin, Blair & Sampson, LLP, which summarized collection activity, litigation and the firm’s outreach methods.
Steven Salcedo, partner with Linebarger, said the firm collected $1,392,751 over the calendar year and $1,279,076 for the most recent tax year turned to collection. He described a multi‑step collection plan that includes up to eight mailed notices for accounts owing $25 or more, bilingual phone‑bank outreach run by Linebarger employees, targeted litigation for larger accounts, and periodic tax sale listings (the firm said Rockport has four sales a year). Salcedo explained that unpaid taxes become subject to a statutory 20% penalty when turned to the collection firm and that the firm is paid only from collections it achieves.
The presentation included litigation statistics Salcedo said were current since his last report: 79 new lawsuits filed for roughly $488,000; 38 nonsuits (cases dismissed after payment) totaling about $199,000; 64 judgments taken for about $493,000; and roughly 100 suits still pending covering approximately $642,000. When trustees asked whether an estimate of recoverable dollars from pending suits was possible, Salcedo replied that outcomes vary case‑by‑case and that he would need to review individual files to give a reasoned estimate.
After the presentation the board considered a motion to publish delinquent taxpayers’ names in the local newspaper in September 2025; the motion, made by Trustee Austin and seconded by Trustee Randall, passed 6–0.
Details the board heard are those provided by the collection firm and were not independently audited at the meeting. District officials and Linebarger said the firm pursues payment plans for low‑income taxpayers where feasible and that some accounts are resolved before litigation is complete.
Next steps: Linebarger will continue collection activities and provide the district with tax sale schedules and further case‑level detail upon request.
