Sheriff will try to collect $42,313.61 in unpaid taxes

McCOOK, Neb. — Red Willow County's sheriff will attempt to collect $42,313.61 in unpaid taxes after the county's treasurer presented him with 52 distress warrants on Oct. 31.

* In Nebraska, tangible personal property that is used in a business or trade, is depreciated for tax purposes and is located in Nebraska as of January 1 is subject to personal property taxes. Personal property must be reported to the assessor in the county in which it is located by May 1 each year.

There are penalties for filing late, and the sheriff shows up when they're not paid at all.

County treasurer Sue Wesch told county commissioners at their regular weekly meeting Monday morning that the largest unpaid tax bill for the tax year 2018 is $30,127.97; the smallest is $15.42. All unpaid tax bills accumulate interest and late fees.

The list that Wesch presented to commissioners includes the re-issuance of four distress warrants that were uncollected in 2018; and one tax bill that is involved in bankruptcy proceedings on which a distress warrant was not issued.

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Wesch also told commissioners that the county will have to refund $36,747.46 in property taxes that Frenchman Valley Farmers Coop Inc. has already paid, because of a reduction in property valuation from $1,606,435 to $890,193 for grain storage properties owned by Frenchman Valley and located in McCook on land leased from the railroad.

The change has been approved by the state's Tax Equalization Review Commission (TERC), and the same property valuation will be used for 2019 taxes.

Seven Frenchman Valley properties are involved.

Wesch said that, among the taxing entities that received a portion of taxes from these properties, McCook Public Schools will have to refund the most, $23,178.67.