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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 09-01-2015 - 6e 1 ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS ACTION AGENDA ITEM ABSTRACT Meeting Date: September 1, 2015 Action Agenda Item No. 6-e SUBJECT: Tax Collector's Annual Settlement for Fiscal Year 2014-15 DEPARTMENT: Tax Administration PUBLIC HEARING: (Y/N) No ATTACHMENT(S): INFORMATION CONTACT: 2014 Settlement Resolution T. Dwane Brinson, Director Reports (5) 919-245-2726 Order to Collect Report of Delinquent Property Taxes (provided to Clerk on CD) PURPOSE: To receive the tax collector's annual settlement on current and delinquent taxes, approve by resolution the accounting thereof, and upon acceptance of the reports, issue the Order to Collect for Fiscal Year 2015-2016. BACKGROUND: The annual settlement provides in detail the collection for the County, all fire and special districts, and the Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough during Fiscal Year 2014-2015. For fiscal year ended June 30, 2015, Orange County's overall current year tax collection percentage was 99.07%. The overall collection percentage can be broken down further into three property classifications: real property, personal property, and motor vehicles. Orange County's fiscal year 2014-2015 current year tax collection percentage for real property was 99.09%, personal property was 98.68% and motor vehicles was 86.78%. The amount of the annual registered motor vehicle levy is significantly lower than in past years. This is due to the fact that the state-wide "Tag and Tax Together' program was implemented for vehicle registration renewals that were due in September 2013 and impacted the levy beginning with registered motor vehicle bills that were due January 1, 2014. The State is now collecting these ad valorem taxes at the time of registration and is submitting them to the County on a monthly basis. This levy continues to diminish monthly and eventually will cease to be included as part of the tax collector's annual settlement. The tax collector is required by North Carolina General Statute (NCGS) 105-373 to give an annual settlement to the governing body. It is the intent of the Machinery Act to create a direct relationship of responsibility and accountability between the tax collector and governing body. Furthermore, NCGS 105-373 requires the tax collector to furnish a sworn report to the governing body showing a list of property owners whose taxes remain unpaid for the preceding fiscal year. There are four sections to the report: real property owners, business personal property owners, individual personal property owners and public personal property owners. With approval of the 2 attached resolution, the Board designates said list to be entered into the minutes. The tax claim is not discharged or written off. These accounts are recharged to the collector as delinquent accounts, and the collector has full authority to use levy and garnishment to affect their collection. Lists have been provided to the Clerk to the Board for the permanent record of all outstanding tax by property classification. Two settlement reports for tax are included. • The first shows all taxes charged for collection for the 2014-2015 fiscal year. All uncollected taxes allowed as credits in a settlement are recharged to the tax collector. Per NCGS 105-373(3)(b) the tax collector is credited with (paraphrased): 1. All sums representing taxes collected and deposited; 2. Releases approved by the governing body; 3. The principal amount of taxes constituting liens on real property; 4. Amount shown on the insolvent list; 5. Discounts as allowed by law; 6. Commissions (if any) lawfully payable to the tax collector as compensation; 7. Outstanding Property Tax Commission appeals. • The second settlement report shows all prior years' taxes collected during the 2014-2015 fiscal year. NCGS 105-378 limits the tax collector's use of enforced collection remedies to ten years from the due date of the tax. As such, for fiscal year 2014-2015 the tax collector was charged with collecting remaining taxes from the years 2005-2013, in addition to current year 2014 taxes. Additional reports are included for review by the governing board: • One provides details of all other miscellaneous revenue charged to the Tax Collector for collection during fiscal year 2014-2015. The receipt of the annual Medicaid Reimbursement for Emergency Services for the current year is normally noted in this report. The reimbursement for 2014-2015 was not received before the end of the fiscal year and is therefore not included in the Non-Tax Revenue Total. However, the 2014- 2015 reimbursement was received soon after the June 30, 2015 deadline, and the amount of the reimbursement is known and noted on the report. In addition, the Medicaid reimbursement for the prior year is included in this report due to the fact that it was received during the 2014-2015 fiscal year. • An additional report shows the accounts receivable information for 2014 taxes at the beginning of the 2015 fiscal year. • The final report is a minimal bill report that provides the number of bills and amount of taxes waived in accordance with a resolution approved by the governing board on July 267 1995. NCGS 105-321(f) states, in part, that the governing body of a taxing unit may direct its tax assessor and tax not to collect minimal taxes where the total principal amount does not exceed five dollars ($5.00). FINANCIAL IMPACT: There is no financial impact associated with this item. SOCIAL JUSTICE IMPACT: There is no Orange County Social Justice Goal impact associated with this item. RECOMMENDATION(S): The Manager recommends that the Board: • Receive the Tax Collector's annual settlement, and approve and authorize the Chair to sign the resolution accepting it as reported for entry into the minutes; and • Approve, authorize the Chair to sign, and issue the Order to Collect to the Tax Collector for Fiscal Year 2015-2016. 3 RES-2015-042 RESOLUTION APPROVING THE TAX COLLECTOR'S ANNUAL SETTLEMENT FOR THE CURRENT YEAR 2014 AND PRIOR YEARS BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of Commissioners of Orange County that the following documents attached hereto are received and approved, consisting of the following: 1. Settlement of 2014 Tax Accounts 2. Settlement of Prior Years (2005-2013) Tax Accounts 3. Tax Collector's Report of 2014 Unpaid Taxes 4. Tax Collector's Report of Minimal Property Tax Bills 5. Report of Collections of Non-Tax Revenue and Miscellaneous Taxes ADOPTED this the 1st day of September, 2015. Earl McKee Chair, Board of County Commissioners Attest: Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners Settlement for 2014 Tax Accounts Orange County,Fire and Special Districts 4 Towns of Carrbora,Chapel Hill,and Hillsborough for Fiscal Year 2014-2015 Orange Fire&Special Town of Town of Town of Grand County Districts Carrbora Chapel Hill Hillsborough Total CHARGES Adjusted Levy-Real 130,330,949.73 25,118,210.61 11,225,102.97 33,528,099.24 4,570,394.56 204,772,757.11 Adjusted Levy-Personal 5,608,713.45 249,139.56 1,258,977.63 471,565.81 7,588,396.45 Adjusted Levy-Motor Vehicles 14755.09 1,330.90 2.598.15 376.99 19,061.13 Adjusted Levy--Personal&Motor Vehicles 812,630.67 812,630.67 Adjusted Levy-Vehicle Fees 840.00 1,499.46 90.00 2,429.46 Interest&Penalties 304,012.70 49,98422 21,544.16 69,969.01 19,900.47 465,410.56 Total 136,258,430.97 25,980,825.50 11,497,957.59 34,861,143.49 5,062,327.83 213,660,685.38 CREDITS Real Uncollected 1,187,876.83 179,126.64 79,144.07 138,827.34 66,310.66 1,651,285.54 Personal Uncollected 73,760.74 191.02 24,433.36 4,201.58 102,586.70 Motor Vehicles Uncollected 1,950.93 476.25 188.79 34.00 2,649.97 Personal&Motor Vehicles Uncollected 13,011.07 13,011.07 Motor Vehicle Fees Uncollected 150.00 197.31 20.00 367.31 Cash Deposited 134,994,842.47 25,788,687.79 11,417,996.25 34,697,496.69 4,991,761.59 211,890,784.79 Total 136,258,430.97 25,980,825.50 11,497,957.59 34,861,143.49 5,062,327.83 213,660,685.38 COLLECTION CREDIT Cash Deposited 134,994,842.47 25,788,687.79 11,417,996.25 34,697,496.69 4,991,761.59 211,890,784.79 Prop Tax Appeals Pending Credit - - - Total Collection Credit 134,994,842.47 25,788,687.79 11,417,996.25 34,697,496.69 4,991,761.59 211,890,784.79 COLLECTION PERCENTAGE Real 99.09% 99.29% 99.29% 99.59% 98.55% Personal 98.68% 99.92% 98.06% 99.11% Motor Vehicles 86.78% 64.22% 92.73% 90.98% Personal&Motor Vehicles 98.40% Motor Vehicle Fees 82.14% 86.84% 77.78% Total 99.07% 99.26% 99.30% 99.53% 98.60% Collection Percentage Reported In the CAFR and to the LGC 99 1 o% Combined County,Fire&Special District Overall Collection 99.17% Timothy Dwane Brinson,Tax Collector for Orange County,Towns of Carrboro,Chapel Hill,and Hillsborough,and applicable firefspecial districts,being duly appointed,respectfully reports that he has made a diligent effort within the time permitted by law to collect the taxes due from persons listed out of their personal property and by other means available to him for collection of such taxes. Sworn to and subscribed before me this the day of August,2015. T_Dwane Brinson,Tax Collector Notary Public My commission expires � y I M Lcwolmll ;1 SETTLEMENT OF UNPAID TAXES FOR THE YEARS 2005-2013 5 Orange County,Fire and Special Districts Towns of Carrboro,Chapel Hill,and Hillsborough Adjusted Levy Total Uncollected Balance Interest Collections (Accounts Receivable) Collected Orange County 3,624,328.17 1,420,322.21 2,204,005.96 Downtown Revitalization 3,780.35 1,423.52 2,356.83 Cedar Grove Fire 13,217.68 5,705.53 7,512.15 Chapel Hill Fire (291.08) (371.70) 80.62 Damascus Fire 298.61 151.92 146.69 Efland Fire 21,494.98 8,266.37 13.228.61 Eno Fire 14,095.00 6,929.63 7,165.37 Little River Fire 5,625.79 3,092.67 2,533.12 New Hope Fire 91319.09 4,518.39 4,800.70 Orange Fire 34,851.60 12,917.60 21,934.00 Orange Grove Fire 10,888.07 6,620.77 4,267.30 South Orange Fire 17,059.49 7,783.08 9,276.41 South Triangle Fire 4,278.19 2,494.72 1,783.47 White Cross Fire 17,413.41 7,386.00 10,027.41 CH Carrboro School District 326,918.84 137,844.08 189,074.76 Total County, Fire, and Special Districts 4,103,278.19 1,625,084.79 2,478,193.40 217,386.59 Town of Carrboro Real 164,194.22 65,437.00 98,757.22 Motor Vehicle and Other Personal Property 266,452.12 38,604.80 180,949.72 Total 430,646.34 104,041.80 279,706.94 14,834.54 Town of Chapel Hill Real 242,761.22 137,453.46 105,307.76 Motor Vehicle and Other Personal Property 344,997.00 68,059.18 276,937.82 Total 587,758.22 205,512.64 382,245.58 22,546.02 Town of Hillsborough Real 154,237.80 50,880.32 103,357.48 Motor Vehicle and Other Personal Property 77,465.94 20,531.66 56,934.28 Total 231,703.74 71,411.98 160,291.76 9,606.50 Timothy Dwane Brinson,Tax Collector for Orange County,Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough, and applicable fire/special districts, being duly appointed, respectfully reports, in accordance with G.S. 105-373(b),the amount of taxes remaining unpaid for years 2005 through 2013,that he has made a diligent effort within the time permitted by law to collect such taxes out of the personal property of such taxpayers, or by other means available to him for collection of such taxes. Sworn and subscribed before me on this the day of August, 2015 T. Dwane Brinson_Tax Collector Notary Public My commission expires , Notary Public ty I 2014-2015 Miscellaneous Collections 6 2014-2015 COLLECTIONS OF NON-TAX REVENUE EMS Ambulance Fees not inclusive of Medicaid Reimbursement $ 2,446,719.97 2014-2015 COLLECTION OF RENTAL VEHICLE GROSS RECEIPT *Medicaid Reimbursement for EMS $ 394,834.00 TAX FOR MUNICIPALITIES Schedule B Licenses $ 295.00 Chapel Hill $ 50,745.09 Beer&Wine Licenses $ 14,091.50 Hillsborough $ 8,547.63 Rental Vehicle Gross Receipts Tax $ 64,761.61 Carrboro $ - Emergency Mgmt Collections TOTAL $ 59,292.72 (all other charges but ambulance) $ 48,827.75 3R Fee Collection $ 2,692,958.73 Waste Center Fee Collection $ 1,231,718.27 Occupancy Tax Collections $ 1,350,345.02 TOTAL $ 8,244,551.85 *NOTE.This amount is for 2013-2014 received 7114114.The 2014-2015 amount is $423,489.50 and was received 7/12/15,which is outside of this fiscal year. COLLECTIONS OF MISCELLANEOUS AD VALOREM TAXES&MOTOR VEHICLE TAG FEES Note: Registered Motor Vehicle taxes are now collected at the State level. Collection information for both Durham and Mebane will eventually dwindle to zero. Fiscal Year 2014-2015 All Prior Years Adjusted Total Amount Collection Adjusted Total Amount Collection Levy Collected Uncollected Percentage Levy Collected Uncollected Percentage Town of Mebane, Motor Vehicle Taxes 135.74 97.58 38.16 71.89% 8,976.27 3,754.66 5,221.61 41.83% City of Durham, Motor Vehicle Taxes - - - 0.00% 286.72 74.46 212.26 25.97% City of Durham, Motor Vehicle Tag Fees 0.00% 75.00 15.00 60.00 20.00% 7 ORANGE COUNTY TAX ADMINISTRATION 228 S CHURTON STREET, SUITE 200, PO BOX 8181 HILLSBOROUGH,NORTH CAROLINA 27278 Telephone(919)245-2100 Fax (919)644-3091 T. Dwane Brinson, Director State ot'North Carolina County of Orange Tax Collector's Report of FY 2014-2015 Accounts Receivable—Real/Personal Property Timothy Dwane Brinson, Tax Collector for Orange COL111ty, Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough, and applicable Fire Districts being duly appointed, deposes and says: A complete list of persons owning real and personal property whose tax remain unpaid and the principal amount due has been filed with the Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners and is available for inspection. The principal amount of 2014 real and personal property as Of July 1, 2015 is $1,769,900.59. -7 Timothy Dwane Brinson Orange County Tax Collector Sworn to and subscribed before me this the day of August, 2015. Scherd A.McCmy ra a E: Notary Public cou OJNWC= M Ccx� &Otary Public A a My Commission expires L, 8 TAX COLLECTOR'S REPORT OF MINIMAL PROPERTY TAX BILLS Fiscal Year 2014-2015 North Carolina General Statute 105-321(f) is a provision authorizing the governing board of a taxing unit that collects its own taxes to adopt a resolution foregoing the collection of bills that do not exceed a specified amount, up to five dollars ($5.00). The Orange County Board of Commissioners has adopted, by resolution effective July 26, 1995, a policy change to permit the County Assessor and Tax Collector to waive the billing and collection of tax notices that do not exceed five dollars ($5.00), and that the tax collector keep record of such and report the total amount as part of annual settlement. The total number of motor vehicle notices less than five dollars ($5.00) is 25. The total amount of taxes waived is $18.94. The total number of real estate and personal property notices less than five dollars ($5.00) is 2107. The total amount of taxes waived is $2,201.69. Timothy Dwane Brinson Orange County Tax Administrator 9 ORDER OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH G.S. 105-321 State of North Carolina County of Orange ORDER OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN ACCORDANCE WITH G.S. 105—373 and 105— 321 To: Timothy Dwane Brinson Tax Collector of Orange County, Towns of Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough, and applicable Fire Districts You are hereby authorized, empowered, and commanded to collect the taxes remaining unpaid as set forth in the 2006 through 2015 tax records filed in the office of the Tax Collector, and in the tax receipts herewith delivered to you in the amounts and from the taxpayers likewise therein set forth. You are further authorized, empowered, and commanded to collect the 2006 through 2015 taxes charged and assessed as provided by law for adjustments, changes, and additions to the tax records and tax receipts delivered to you which are made in accordance with law. Such taxes are hereby declared to be a first lien on all real property of the respective taxpayers in Orange County, Town of Carrboro, Town of Chapel Hill, Town of Hillsborough, Fire Districts of Orange, Efland, South Orange, New Hope, Eno, Orange Grove, Greater Chapel Hill, Little River, Cedar Grove, Southern Triangle, Damascus, and White Cross, and this order shall be a full and sufficient authority to direct, require and enable you to levy on and sell any real and personal property, and attach wages and/or other funds, of such taxpayers, for and on account thereof, in accordance with law. You are further authorized to call upon the Sheriff to levy upon and sell personal property under execution for the payment of taxes. Within available funds in the budget ordinance and personnel positions established, the Tax Collector may hire employees, and they shall have the authority to perform those functions authorized by the Machinery Act of Chapter 105 of North Carolina General Statutes and other applicable laws for current and previous years' taxes. County personnel presently in the Tax Collector's office will continue to serve in their respective collection positions. Witness my hand and official seal, this 1st day of September, 2015 Earl McKee Chair, Board of County Commissioners Attest: Clerk to the Board of County Commissioners