I would like to take this opportunity to respond to a letter from last week titled “Positive image.” The letter references $100,000 in delinquent taxes and then states “…if this was you or I the County would have taken our land.” The letter further states “This large amount of money didn’t accumulate overnight. Someone in the County needs to say how and why it got so high without some sort of action or enforcement.”

The State of California Revenue and Taxation Code only allows action on delinquent secured taxes after five years. The delinquent taxes in this case are only from last year. The soonest action could be taken is after June, 2014. The amount is large and one parcel represents almost 90 percent of the delinquency. Per Revenue and Taxation Code each installment is assessed a 10 percent penalty and each delinquent tax accrues interest at 18 percent per year.
Keith M. Williams
Mariposa County
Treasurer – Tax Collector &
County Clerk