Vote ‘yes’ for Amendments 3, 10
Published 9:21 am Thursday, October 23, 2014
The American Press is recommending a “yes“ vote on Amendments 3 and 10 on the Nov. 4 election ballot.
Amendment 3 would give local governments the option to hire private firms to collect delinquent property taxes and sell properties whose owners have not paid their taxes.
Amendment 10 would require each parish to shorten the redemption period for vacant blighted or abandoned property sold at a tax sale to 18 months rather than the current 36 months.
The Public Affairs Research Council in its guide to the amendments says No. 3, if approved, would allow municipalities, parishes and sheriff departments to hire a third party to help in collecting delinquent property taxes and with the sale of adjudicated properties.
Proponents say it will help speed the recovery of blighted properties, which may be left sitting while governments attempt to recover taxes owed on the properties. Some small local governments may not have the financial resources or manpower to aggressively seek out the money owed to them. Others may feel it’s simply more cost effective to outsource the collections.
Municipalities won’t lose money because the collection fee is to be included in the sale of property. Louisiana law says third-party collection agents may charge up to a 10 percent fee to be included in property sales.
Some municipalities already outsource the collection of taxes and sale of property, but the Louisiana Supreme Court earlier this year ruled that a New Orleans ordinance allowing third-party collections was unconstitutional. Amendment 3 will clear up any confusion in Louisiana law.
Amendment 10 would also speed up the recovery of blighted property. PAR said local governments constantly struggle with the problem of blighted and abandoned property.
Every effort should be made to keep property in the hands of property owners. The amendment, however, does not apply to maintained, occupied homes. It applies only to property that has been declared “blighted, abandoned, uninhabitable or hazardous.”
Allowing properties to sit for three years only provides more time for them to become run down. They are an eyesore and may be dangerous.
All of the due process and notice requirements in current law would still apply, even if the amendment is approved.
Vote “yes” on Nov. 4 for Amendments 3 and 10.
David Mercer