Puslinch Mayor Dennis Lever would like to see staff work hard to lower the amount of outstanding taxes owed to the municipality.
He noted during council’s August meeting that as of July 31, outstanding taxes owed to the township totalled just under $1 million.
The actual outstanding taxes and interest figures, as of July 31 and included in a recent financial report by clerk Brenda Law, are $65,136 for this year, $480,765 from 2010, $222,864 from 2009 and $211,232 from 2008 or prior – for a grand total of $979,998.
Councillor Susan Fielding wondered if the total is normal for the township.
“It’s up … because of the times,” Law replied of the economic downturn in recent years.
She told council township staff members periodically make phone calls to those still owing taxes, while more serious offenders can receive letters from a municipal lawyer.
Councillor Jerry Schmidt asked if the township waits on tax payments to come in before paying the county (about 61%) and school boards (about 21%) their portions of the overall tax bills, or if the township pays the money up front.
Law and Lever confirmed the latter is the case.
“Now we have to collect,” Lever said. “This is on us.”
