Mat-Su Borough forecloses on . . .Mat-Su Borough?

MAT-SU - For many Mat-Su residents, its always interesting to peruse the notices of foreclosure the borough publishes annually. Are any friends, relatives or neighbors listed? How about enemies or people who are just generally disagreeable?

One such idle glance on the second column of page 11 of this years notice, published in the April 16 Frontiersman, couldnt help but catch the readers eye.

The errant owner listed on two parcels in Palmer is…the Mat-Su borough.

The borough is foreclosing on its own property because it hasnt paid its taxes? Nosy reporters cant resist something as weird-sounding as this.

A call to Nancy Herford in the borough assessors office sets the record straight.

Is the borough foreclosing on itself?

Technically, it is, she replied.

In these cases, the borough is completing a process of foreclosure against the former owners for delinquency in paying both taxes and special assessments on the separate parcels. One of the foreclosures has wound its way through the legal process, and the borough is now the owner of record while the other foreclosure is taking place, explained Tammy Clayton, borough director of finance.

During this time, the former owners still have the right to repurchase the property, Herford said.

Along with the notice in the newspaper, the assessors office also sends the former owners notices of the delinquent taxes and assessments.

So does the borough now have to pay these delinquent taxes? Theres $1,215.65 due one one parcel and $298.35 on another. And what happens to the land?

Once the borough receives the clerks deed to the land, the property can be held for up to 10 years in the boroughs land management fund, which pays any taxes, penalties and interest, according to Clayton and Herford. The property can be sold during that time, however, and if its sold, the former owner no longer has repurchasing rights.

Whew. Maybe next time theres a notice that the borough owes itself taxes well just ignore it.