Accelerated Tax Sale Resolution Vague In Details

During the August 2, 2010 Middletown Township workshop meeting Resolution 10-203 was passed unanimously by the Township committee with little fanfare or discussion. At the time it didn’t raise any concerns or eyebrows of those in attendance, now however, some 3+ months later that isn’t the case.

Resolution 10-203 authorized the Township to conduct an accelerated tax sale by the end of the year. The resolution (shown below) is vague in its detail and it’s no wonder that it didn’t cause people to question its motive until Monday November 29, 2010 when residents attempted to pay their tax bills before the end of the month:

RESOLUTION 10-203 AUTHORIZING AN ACCELERATED TAX SALE

WHEREAS, NJSA 54:5-19 permits a municipality to sell liens on delinquent
municipal charges prior to the close of the Calendar Year 2010, and

WHEREAS, the Township of Middletown has realized an exceptional tax
collection rate through this process, and

WHEREAS, the Township of Middletown CY 2010 Budget has anticipated
continuing an Accelerated Tax Sale;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Tax Collector of the
Township of Middletown is hereby authorized to conduct an Accelerated Tax Sale for the Calendar Year 2010.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Township Clerk is directed to file two
certified copies of this resolution with the Director of Local Government Services.

Nowhere does it state that after November 10th 2010 residents would not be able to use personal checks, credit or debit cards to pay their property taxes. And nowhere does it state that after this date only cash or certified cashier checks would be accepted as payment. The Township's website does state however, how to pay your taxes using a credit card

It does not state when the tax sale is to take place or what criteria is to be used in determining who's residences or businesses would be subjected to a tax lien and place up for sale for not paying their property taxes on time.

As a matter of fact, there is no specific location on the Township's website that addresses any of these issues, only a vague a reference that states "any appropriate municipal charges remaining unpaid after November 11th of the tax year will be subject to tax sale." under the Tax Payment Information tab located within the Tax Collector section of the website.

Who made up these new guidelines? Who and when were they approved? And why were they not openly made public knowledge?

There has been no announcement placed in the Township’s newsletter “Middletown Matters”, no reverse 911 phone calls made or any postings on the Township municipal access cable channels. Why is that? Other less important announcements have been made using these methods over the past few months, why not this time?

As I stated before, I can’t imagine Middletown would be so hard up for tax revenues that the Township would rather place a resident’s home in a tax sale for being slightly more than 10 days late in a tax payment, than accept a credit card as payment in lieu of cash. It is paramount to extortion, either you pay your taxes on time or you will have to pay us in cash. If not, a lien will be placed on your house and put it will be put up for sale.

Someone really needs to address this before people's lives are thrown into chaos over this.