CITY Hall is seeking legal permission to commence Parate execution in order to begin seizing and selling properties of defaulting taxpayers to recoup some $2B in property taxes.Parate execution allows for the resale of property mortgaged to the bank.
The mortgage is organised without going through court proceedings and the institution itself is given the power to hold an auction for the sale of the property by the appointed auctioneer.
This recourse by City Hall was announced by Town Clerk Royston King, who said that the Council is currently engaging the courts to acquire the requisite permission that would allow the municipality to sell the properties of defaulting taxpayers.
The Council recently announced that delays in the payment of salaries and other obligations were due to “a combination of factors” which included the “non-payment of rates by certain corporations.”
The Georgetown City Council is said to be owed some $2B in property taxes, but was able to prosecute some defaulters, so far winning some $300M to be paid over to the municipality.
To date, however, these payments have not been forthcoming, the Town Clerk said, despite warnings of Parate execution against persons and the names of defaulting businesses being publicised.

It was noted that some businesses were even paying meagre taxes on their properties due to the failure by City Hall to adequately conduct property evaluations, and several private and domestic properties within the city have now become commercial enterprises.
With the passing of judgment by the court for payments to the municipality, the Council will commence the sale of properties belonging to tax-delinquent owners.
This legal process will allow the municipality to auction off the property and recover the money it is owed.
Meanwhile, the municipality is still open to all customers against whom judgment was passed, King said.
“The Council is asking that these persons make contact with the body in relation to repayment, since any possible amicable resolution is best preferred by the municipality.”
The work of the city must not be stopped because persons refuse to honour their obligations, the Town Clerk added.