It might only be about $200, but one Yazoo County resident said it is the principal when it comes to late fees associated with his property taxes.
“It’s only a couple of hundred dollars, but even if it was only $10, I would still be here,” said Delmar Bridges, to the Yazoo County Board of Supervisors. “It’s the principal at this point.”
Bridges appeared before the county leaders on Monday concerning a parcel of land he purchased in 2020. The one-acre lot apparently had unpaid taxes associated with it, but Bridges said he was unaware of the back taxes or the associated late fees.
“I will pay the original taxes, but I am not going to pay any late fee,” Bridges said. “(Chancery Clerk Quint Carver) told me that I didn’t have to pay it, but I would lose my property. That really hacked me off but that is beside the point.”
Bridges said he never received a bill or notice concerning the unpaid taxes.
“I went all over this courthouse, making sure I was paying everything I owed because I didn’t want anybody calling me in the middle of the year telling me I owed something else,” Bridges said. “Then I get a call from Quint, and here I am. He told me I couldn’t have known about this because it was in somebody else’s name. But I wasn’t notified about this until last week. It’s not that much money, but it’s the principal of charging somebody a late fee when they didn’t’ know they owed anything.”
Carver said the back taxes were from the parcel’s previous owner, but that the parcel still had the back taxes associated with it.
“This bill was hanging out there when he (Bridges) bought the property,” Carver said. “I am assuming the bank sold it to him as is with him being responsible for any outstanding tax lien. But this happens all the time.”
Jay Barbour, board attorney, said the county board could not legally waive the late fees.
“I am going with the lawyer,” said Supervisor Willie Wright, to Bridges. “I feel for you, but I am going with the lawyer.”
Carver reminded Bridges that the parcel might not have been listed under his name. But the parcel number itself still showed unpaid taxes from the previous owner.
Supervisor Joseph Thomas Jr. said the bank that Bridges bought the property from should have completed a title search, which would have shown a tax lien.
“I bet you are going to find though that the bank sold it as is,” Carver said. “It would have been your responsibility then.”
The board apologized to Bridges but remained firm on not voiding the late fees. The board encouraged him to speak with his bank on the matter.
“It is a shame when common sense goes out the door,” Bridges said. “I know you have common sense. You are just afraid to use it.”
