Fort Thomas readopts $3.48 tax rate; resident raises concerns about undocumented property‑tax payment plans

The Fort Thomas City Council opened a public hearing and readopted last year’s tax rate of $3.48 per $1,000, City finance staff said, while explaining the action was required after property assessments rose enough to push the effective rate above the compensating rate.

"The city of Fort Thomas had opted this year after discussions during budgeting to readopt last year's tax rate of $3.48 per thousand," said Speaker 4 (finance staff) during the hearing. He added that the compensating rate cited at the meeting was $3.34 per $1,000 and that the public hearing was necessary because assessment growth changed the effective rate.

Why it matters: Readopting the prior rate keeps the city’s levy steady for taxpayers while accounting for higher property assessments; the hearing also surfaced resident concerns about how the city handles overdue tax accounts.

During public comment, a resident who identified her address as 405 Lockwood Place told the council she had filed an open‑records request and discovered that some properties were being handled through payment plans but that she found no written policy documenting those arrangements. "I was taken aback by that statement," the resident said, adding she believed the records she received were misleading because they listed totals while not reflecting how payments were applied.

City staff acknowledged the resident’s request and described how the city treats unpaid accounts. Staff said payment plans include interest and penalties and are used in some cases to avoid immediate foreclosure. The finance official described penalties and interest as part of the process and said the city is working to finalize foreclosure procedures for tax cases.

Staff outlined the thresholds and mechanics they are reviewing: historically, the threshold for tax‑related foreclosure actions has been about $10,000 outstanding or three consecutive years of unpaid taxes unless payments are being made; code‑enforcement liens have a lower trigger (around $3,000). Staff reported they recently have begun placing liens where appropriate and said there are presently about four properties in a foreclosure process where a resolution is not expected.

Council members and staff discussed the tradeoffs of pursuing liens and foreclosures, noting the costs and time involved and the potential maintenance burden if the city takes possession of foreclosed properties. One official said the city must analyze each case before moving toward a sale or master commissioner action and that if a sale occurs, proceeds are applied to county taxes, city taxes, mortgage holders and then any remaining balance is resolved per the foreclosure process.

What’s next: Staff said they will draft a foreclosure procedure that explicitly covers tax arrears and code‑enforcement liens and will bring that draft back for council review.