Foreclosure for a Small Amount of Unpaid Taxes

This story, dated May 17, 2010, appears on The Huffington Post Investigative Fund website.

It summarizes a process whereby the city of Baltimore, Maryland sold a debt of $710.57 for unpaid water and sewer charges and property tax and interest to an investor in a tax lien auction. The homeowner, whose mortgage had already been paid off, was given six months to pay before the investor could sue to seize the property and collect the debt, plus additional fees.

Here is a list of the additional fees:

interest $296.10
attorney fees $1,550.00
title fee $325.00
public notice fee $250.00
filing fee $125.00
dismissal fee $15.00
posting fee $40.00
process fees $110.00
judgement reports $12.00
postage $85.34
copies $79.00
courier costs $5.00
banckruptcy searches $0.40

Now the total owed is $3,604.41.

Here is a YouTube video about the story:






[edit on 5/21/2010 by Mary Rose]

[edit on 5/21/2010 by Mary Rose]

This guy here was going to lose his business for a $3 tax bill on something he didnt even own:

newhavenindependent.org...

Funny how if the bank comes for you on a missed mortgage payment of several hundred dollars people start screaming about big business and evil this and that but when the government comes after your house for pocket change those people get mad at you for being a deadbeat and revel in the storm troopers aiming their guns at your childrens heads shouting "Next time you better pay!!!"