Tax Sale in December

by Linda Baum

A reminder that Middletown Township holds an accelerated tax sale at the end of December. Included will be unpaid property taxes for 2014 and unpaid sewer fees for quarters through August 31, including interest and sale charges. This assumes the cut-off dates are the same as last year. Also, only sewer accounts with balances of more than $150 through August 31 were included in last year’s sale.

November 10 is the last day to pay fourth quarter taxes without incurring interest charges. The delinquent list is usually finalized for publication the Wednesday before Thanksgiving – November 26 this year – and reflects any outstanding amounts as of that date plus additional sale charges. Accounts with interest-only balances will be included in the sale, even for very small amounts owed.

There has been no official announcement yet of this year’s sale. In prior years, Middletown published notice of the upcoming tax sale only in the Two River Times. The information was not accessible online, published in any other newspaper or announced at any township committee meeting. A notice was eventually posted on the township website well into December. The township needs to do a better job of letting people know about the sale, which is one of the most accelerated tax sales in Monmouth and Ocean Counties with taxes for the fourth quarter being sold only seven weeks after they are due.