Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Some Taxpayers Owe Accomack County ALOT In Taxes

This is a nightmare for Accomack County! How long have these landowners been able to get away with not paying taxes? Is this the only list? Are there more that have not paid taxes with less property? These delinquencies aren't fair to the people of Accomack County. And if these people have been allowed to go more than one year without paying their taxes then I say we have a severe problem and some changes need to be made immediately!


The long-awaited list of the 25 most delinquent taxpayers in Accomack wasn’t exactly what most expected. Instead of providing a tally of those who owe the greatest amount of back real-estate taxes Wednesday night, Treasurer Dana Bundick gave Accomack supervisors an inventory of the parcels for which the most back real-estate taxes are owed.

It’s a little confusing. The grand total for the list is $337,600.21. At the same supervisors’ session, Finance Director Mike Mason reported $3,115,624 in total delinquent real-estate taxes for 2006 to 2009 and the first half of 2010. Bundick compiled her list by running a county program on Sept. 13. Five of the parcels are on Cedar Island, including the one with the largest bill for $28,064.21.

It is unclear how long the accounts have been in arrears. The top parcel is owned by Potomac Spectrum,which has a mailing address of 11501 Skipwith Ln. in Potomac, Md. The county mapping Web site shows Potomac Spectrum owns 15 parcels on the barrier island. Bundick said some owners of Cedar Island tracts have contacted a lawyer who auctions properties in an effort to recoup funds for the county. “Go ahead and sell ’em; we don’t care,” Bundick said attorney Jim Elliott was told.

The landowners complained that their houses are surrounded by water and are not accessible. “One person stopped paying taxes because he couldn’t get to it,” she said. “We’ve got to decide what to do about it. It’s a mess. I don’t know if the houses are there.”

Supervisor Grayson Chesser said properties like those are a nightmare to survey and sales
should be considered “buyer beware.” Still, he added, the parcels were deliberately divided from sea to bay so owners could move houses as erosion occurred. “There’s a very good chance the house might be gone, but the lot is still there.” Supervisor Donald Hart was concerned about where the sewage for some of those structures would go. “There might have been land under it” when the property’s bill first went unpaid, he said. “These people have owed a long time. Go after anything they own. … It’s their responsibility.”


Hart said when a value changes, the landowner should notify the county as he did when house he owned caught fire. Hart said he has seen one name on the list “many, many times. The day before the sale, he pays, then waits 10 more years” to pay again. Hart said action should immediately be taken for those with a history of delinquency. “I don’t think they deserve the right … to wait until the last minute.” Hart didn’t name names. But Bundick’s reference gave the owner’s identity away since she said she promised some actions to attorney David Rowan.

Let’s just say he (the debtor) has two attorneys after him,” she said. Late bills totaling $78,810.50 were referred to Rowan, according to the list Bundick gave to the supervisors. Developer Edward Lunn Tull of Chincoteague was attached to those six parcels. Two of those also list Louise A. Tull as an owner. The mapping site lists 131 properties in Tull’s name.


Bundick’s list also includes Shore tomato growers, Batista and Evelyn Madonia, who own the family business, East Coast Brokers and Packers of Plant City, Fla., and Mappsville. They owe $11,162.83 in back real-estate taxes. The mapping site shows the Madonias own a total of 43 parcels.

Also on the delinquent list are:


• Donna Rae Roeske of Pension Street on Chincoteague, who owes $19,952.93. Her debt was referred to Elliott so the property could be sold. The map site says she owns 10 parcels, referred to as Maddox, on Chincoteague.

• Tammy Lee Taylor of Main Street in Hallwood, who owes $16,890. Her property also was referred to Elliott. The map site says she owns two parcels.

• Chrysler First Financial Service Corp Nations Credit, which owes $16,340.61 in real-estate taxes for a Cedar Island parcel.

• Catherine S. Sparrow of New Church, who owns three lots and owes $14,971.01 for overdue taxes on one parcel. No action has been taken on her case. It is unclear why.

• Adair E. Harmon, who lived in Oak Hall, but is now deceased. He owed $14,247.87. His property was referred to Elliott.

• John J. Cherricks of Chincoteague, who owes $13,912.91. He owns two parcels. His case was referred to Elliott.

• Thomas D. Cook Sr. or Angela Cook, who owes $13,564.97. They own a house on Lankford Highway in Oak Hall. No action has been taken on their case.

• Wilford L. Evans of Temperanceville, who owes $13,361.29. He owns a house in Bloxom. His case was referred to Elliott.

• Tully Parker of Painter, who owns 54 acres. He and owes $12,491.73. His case was referred to Elliott.

• Luvenia Miles of Temperanceville, who owes $11,513.62. She owns a house. Her bill was referred to Elliott.

• Tai M. Le or Tiffany Quyen Do of Springfield, Va., who owes $10,935.28. They own three parcels. No action was taken on their bill.

• Harold and Anna Perau of New Jersey, who own two parcels on Cedar Island and owe $10,851.98 on each.

• Lois Gordon of Main Street on Chincoteague, who owes $10,307.24. She owns two parcels. No action has been taken.

• Lance G., Barbara W. and Charles S. Fisher, who owe $10,030.97. They jointly own 9.83
acres in Hope Woods. Lance Fisher owns another parcel individually and owns six properties with Barbara Fisher. No action has been taken.

• Mary and James Mathis of Glen Arms, Md., who own a lot on Cedar Island. They owe $9,981.66.

• Entrust Mid South LLC FBO Hope E. Mayer, which owns a house and lot on Cedar Island, according to the mapping site. The delinquent tax is $9,356.23 on that property. No action has been taken.

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