BEVERLY — City councilors say it's one of the most common complaints from residents: With all of the budget problems facing the city, why doesn't it go after the $3 million in back taxes that it's owed?
Three million dollars is a lot of money, but an outside auditor told councilors this week that the city is doing a "decent job" of collecting back taxes.
James Powers of the accounting firm Powers & Sullivan said the city is owed $2.26 million in unpaid real estate taxes and about $700,000 in automobile excise taxes, for a total of about $3 million.
Powers said that amount is not unusual for a city of Beverly's size. He said it takes time and money, including the cost of hiring lawyers, to track down tax scofflaws.
"Nobody ever collects 100 percent," he said.
John Dunn, the city's finance director, said that the city collects 16 percent interest when overdue tax bills are paid.
Air Canada Plane Makes Emergency Landing
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla
Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
