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Stephens City retracts directive to wipe delinquent real-estate taxes after state guidance
Summary
Following new guidance from the state Attorney General's office, Stephens City council voted to retract a Nov. 5 directive to write off delinquent real-estate taxes and to proceed with collection; the AG guidance said delinquent taxes need not be written off for 20 years rather than five.
Town Attorney David Griffin told the council on Jan. 6 that the state Attorney General's office provided new guidance indicating delinquent real-estate taxes do not need to be written off after five years but instead may remain collectible for 20 years.
Vice-Mayor Fravel asked about tax bills that had already been waived; Griffin said once a bill is waived the town cannot undo that write-off for those specific accounts. Town Manager Mike Majher said staff had not yet carried out the abatement of uncollectable charges approved by council at its Nov. 2025 meeting.
Councilwoman Regina Swygert-Smith moved to retract the Nov. 5, 2025 directive to wipe real-estate taxes off the books and to proceed with collection. The motion carried on a roll-call vote with five Ayes and one absence.
The council did not identify a quantified total of delinquent balances remaining; the meeting record does not state how many accounts had previously been waived or the aggregate dollar value of waived bills. The town attorney's explanation makes clear that past write-offs already executed cannot be reversed, while future collection efforts will proceed under the AG guidance.
