SCOTUS reins in state property tax practices
(Worthy News) – The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled unanimously that states may not keep the excess proceeds from selling a property seized to satisfy delinquent taxes.
The justices ruled 9-0 in favor of Minnesota woman Geraldine Tyler, 94, who had owed roughly $15,000 in property taxes, Reuters reported. In 2016, Hennepin County foreclosed on her home and sold it for $40,000 but kept the excess. Minnesota state law requires that any remaining proceeds from such a sale go to local administrations. Lawyers for Tyler indicated that 13 other states have comparable statutes.
Tyler moved out of her condominium and into an apartment building for the elderly in 2010, at which point she ceased paying taxes on the condo. The county insisted that she had refused alternative options to secure the funds necessary to pay the taxes, such as selling the property or refinancing. [ Source: Just the News (Read More…) ]