Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Property Taxes topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Benton County board abates penalties and reinstates homestead after 2016 title recording error
Summary
Auditor-Treasurer explained a 2016 recording error that left a redeemed property listed under U.S. Bank; the board approved full abatement of penalties and retroactive reinstatement of homestead status for tax years 2024–2026. Owners will pay base taxes due.
The Benton County Board of Commissioners voted April 7 to abate penalties, interest and fees and to reinstate homestead status after county records showed a 2016 title recording error.
Auditor-Treasurer Christine Scherbing told the board that a property taken into foreclosure in 2016 was redeemed by the owners before the sheriff’s sale but a critical document to fully restore title was not processed. The property remained listed under U.S. Bank in county records, so the owners did not receive tax statements for 2024 and 2025 despite occupying the home and making mortgage payments through payoff in 2024. Scherbing said the owners are prepared to promptly pay any base tax due upon approval of the request.
Chair Steve Heinen moved and Commissioner Jared Gapinski seconded approval of full abatement of penalties, interest and fees for the 2024 and 2025 tax years and reinstatement of homestead status retroactive to tax years 2024, 2025 and 2026. The motion carried unanimously.
The action resolves the administrative error recorded in county files and directs staff to update the ownership and homestead classification in county records. The board did not specify the dollar amount of taxes due; the owners will settle base taxes identified by the Auditor-Treasurer.
The board’s action follows county procedures for correcting recorded errors; no further related policy changes were proposed at the meeting.
