The date for the Tax Sale is May 29^th beginning at 9:00 AM at the Franklin County Courthouse. Go to http://franklincountytaxcollector.com/ for contact info.

County commissioners have decided to advertise Franklin County’s upcoming tax certificate sale in newspapers in Panama City and Tallahassee. The county is looking at a record number of tax certificates up for sale this year; there are 2452 this year up from 1860 last year. Tax collector James Harris said the unpaid tax certificates equate to several hundred thousand dollars in taxes for the county and it’s important that they be purchased by private citizens. Those that remain unpurchased go to the county, which can mean it will be several years before the county can collect the money. That also puts the county in the uncomfortable position of possibly having to evict people from their homes in the future. Harris said advertising in larger cities near us may bring investors in to purchase up the unpaid tax certificates which would provide the county with revenue much sooner. Harris added that many of the regular investors who buy tax certificates every year may not bid this year because many still hold tax certificates from last year that have not yet been redeemed. The board agreed to place a quarter page advertisement in this Sunday editions of the Panama City News Herald and the Tallahassee Democrat – Commission chairman Smokey Parrish said the county is already looking at big reductions in its budget next year and if the county doesn’t get some collections they’ll be looking at even bigger cuts. Commissioner Cheryl Sanders said it was ironic that the county is seeking people to buy tax certificates this year when 5 or 6 years ago they couldn’t keep them away.