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Treasurer reports fewer delinquent notices than last year but flags municipal receipting and lottery-credit confusion
Summary
County Treasurer Connie told the HR & Finance Committee the county issued 1,582 delinquent-tax notices this cycle (down from 1,786 last year), cited municipal receipting errors and small underpayments that trigger automated delinquency, and described coordination plans with municipalities and the Department of Revenue on lottery-credit processing.
Connie, Marathon County's treasurer, briefed the committee on tax-collection activity, reconciliation and delinquency processes. She said the county mailed 1,582 delinquent-tax notices this cycle compared with 1,786 last year and described several recurring process issues: municipal receipting mistakes, small underpayments (cents) that cause a parcel to be flagged delinquent by Ascent land-records software, and confusion among some municipalities and taxpayers about the Department of Revenue's lottery-credit procedure and timing.
Connie said the county is offering training and guidance to municipal treasurers, including targeted instruction on running a specific Ascent report that shows underpayments to allow municipalities to correct receipts before settlement. She also said the Department of Revenue no longer accepts paper lottery-credit submissions; municipalities or taxpayers must file online for the DOR to apply the credit. Connie said the county has offered to host training with Ascent and will provide guidance to municipalities to reduce avoidable delinquencies.
On payment agreements and enforcement, Connie said the county no longer widely offers payment plans because many prior agreements were not honored and generated NSF checks; only one legacy payment plan remains. Staff and corporation counsel attend eviction hearings tied to tax-deed and delinquency enforcement; the court process and statutory repurchase rights affect timing and outcomes, Connie said.
What happens next: the treasurer will continue outreach to municipalities, coordinate Ascent training and work with the Department of Revenue to clarify lottery-credit filing procedures. The county will continue its delinquent-parcel process with the objective of earlier, clearer communication to residents and municipal partners.
