The list will be reprinted for the next two Tuesdays, May 22 and 29. As people pay, their names will not be removed from the list in the newspaper, said Ronnie Brannon, assistant tax collector. The list is in the order of a government survey, starting in the northwest part of the county. At the auction, investors bid for the amount of the interest on paying the fee, and the lowest interest bidder gets to pay the tax. Property owners then must pay taxes and interest to the county.
Investors get their investment and interest from the county.
This way, the taxing authorities get the money they need for their budgets. The unpaid taxes are published to attract investors, Brannon said. About 2,100 certificates are usually sold at the auction. About 10 percent of the tax certificates go to the county, Brannon said. Owners do not lose their property at this auction, but could lose it two years later if they still do not pay.