Page 8 - Palm City Spotlight - March '24

Page 8, Palm City Spotlight

LoCaL Government

Presidential Preference Beginning on or before June 1, the tax collector is required by must pay the tax collector all delinquent taxes plus accrued interest,

Primary Election law to hold a tax certificate sale. The certificates represent liens on penalties and advertising fees. The tax collector then notifies the
certificate holder of any certificates redeemed and a refund check
all unpaid real estate properties. The sale allows citizens to buy
certificates by paying the owed tax debt. The sale is held online. is then issued to the certificate holder. Although it is a secure
The Presidential Preference A tax certificate, when purchased, becomes an enforceable first investment in most cases, there is an element of risk in purchasing
Primary (PPP) will take place lien against the real estate. The certificate holder is actually paying tax certificates. F.S. 197.472(2) states that tax lien certificates are
on Tuesday, March 19 and will the taxes for a property owner in exchange for a competitive bid guaranteed an interest rate return of a flat (non-accruing) 5 percent
be for registered Republican rate of return on his investment. They make it possible for the or your bid, on an APR basis, whichever is greater.
voters only. For even the most owner(s) of real property to allow ad valorem property taxes to
seasoned voters, the PPP can become delinquent and continue to use their property for two Warning To Property Owners – Tax Deed
be a little mysterious and seem years (or more) before actually paying the bill (plus interest and Deadline Approaching
to catch voters by surprise. costs). During this period, investors pay the delinquent tax bills
For starters, it only occurs at negotiated rates of interest lending the delinquent property Please be advised that any 2020 taxes that remain unpaid
once every four years, and is owners money in order to continue using their property before from our June 1, 2021 tax certificate sale will be at risk because
the first step in which Florida paying the bill or surrendering the title to the property. The they are eligible to go to tax deed on April 1, 2023. Any years
voters will begin the process payment of property taxes provides the county, school board, prior to 2020 are already eligible for tax deed. Once a tax deed
of electing the President of the United States. and municipalities the revenue to provide necessary services for is applied for, all taxes and extra fees will be due.
Florida is one of approximately a dozen states that hold closed Martin County taxpayers. Tax certificates assist in funding the To prevent the tax deed process on 2020 taxes, a full payment
primaries. That means only voters who are registered members of government’s expenses in the interim time taxes are delinquent. must be received by our office no later than March 31, 2023.
Florida’s two major political parties may vote for respective party The system for collecting delinquent ad valorem property taxes is Postmark does not apply. All payments must be in the form of
candidates. Since the state Democratic Party already selected defined in great detail in the Florida Statutes, Attorney General’s a cashier’s check, money order, or cash (if paying in person).
its candidate for the party’s nomination for president, only the Opinions, and Department of Revenue’s rules and regulations, Please do not mail cash to our office.
Republican Party will hold a statewide presidential primary. Our per F.S. 197.122, F.S. 197.332, F.S. 197.343, F.S. 197.402, F.S. If a tax certificate holder chooses to take the property to tax
presidential primary is held on the same day as Arizona, Illinois, 197.403, F.S. 197.432. deed, it will be sold at public auction if any taxes remain unpaid.
Kansas, and Ohio. A tax certificate is valid for seven years from the date of Please remember the deadline for 2020 taxes is March 31, 2023
We have received many questions from voters concerning issuance. The holder may apply for a tax deed when two or more and tax certificates issued prior to June 1, 2019 are already
the presidential candidates who have dropped out of the race or years have elapsed since the date of delinquency. If the property eligible for tax deed application.
suspended their campaigns. If a candidate did not submit a formal owner fails to pay the tax debt, the property tax deed is sold at Any questions, please call our Tax Department at (772)
withdrawal to the state of Florida before Dec. 12, 2023, their public auction. In order to remove the lien, the property owner 288-5749.
name must remain on the ballot. A vote cast for any candidate
appearing on the ballot will count as a vote cast for the candidate.
As a voter, you need to determine how you wish to vote in
this election, if you are eligible. The state of Florida has three
ways in which a voter may elect to cast their vote:
Option No. 1 Vote By Mail
If you need to request a vote-by-mail ballot for the March 19
election, you must do so by 5 p.m. on March 9. The request may
be made by calling the Elections Office at (772) 288-5637 or by
visiting us online at MartinVotes.gov.
Option No. 2 Vote Early
Early voting will occur Saturday, March 9 through Saturday,
March 16 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in three central locations:
• Martin County Elections Center, 135 S.E. Martin Luther
King Jr. Blvd., Stuart
• Hobe Sound Library, 10595 S.E. Federal Highway,
Hobe Sound
• Elisabeth Lahti Library, 15200 S.W. Thelma Waters
Ave., Indiantown
Option No. 3 Election Day
March 19 is your last opportunity to cast your vote. Voters
who choose to vote on Election Day must cast their vote in their
assigned polling place. Polling precincts will be open from 7
a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day. There have been a few polling
location changes and those voters have been mailed new Voter
Information Cards. To confirm your assigned polling location,
visit us online at MartinVotes.gov or call the Elections Office at
(772) 288-5637.
See you at the polls!
Vicki Davis,
Martin County Supervisor of Elections
Ruth Pietruszewski, Martin
County Tax Collector,

Reminds Taxpayers That
Taxes Become Delinquent

The Same Time Every Year – April 1 Life moves fast—

prepare for the unexpected
Real property taxes
become delinquent April 1 with Accident Insurance.
of each year. Please help
keep your cost and the cost
of your government down
by paying your property
taxes on time. At that
time, 3 percent interest and We’re here to help.
advertising fees are added
to the gross tax. A list of
all real estate property with Accident insurance complements your Florida Blue Health Plan. Call to learn more
delinquent taxes is advertised about insurance plans from USAble Life.
once a week for three consecutive weeks in a local newspaper
during the month of May. The advertisement specifies the M&A Insurance and Financial Services Inc.
place, date and time of the tax certificate sale. This advertised
information is required by Florida law and is not intended to be 561-440-9940
embarrassing or intimidating. The notice serves as a reminder
to contact this office immediately for payment, if your taxes M&A Insurance and Financial Services Inc. is an Independent Broker of Florida Blue.
Florida Blue is an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Supplemental, Life, and Disability products are offered by USAble Life. USAble Life is an independent company
have not been paid for the 2022 tax roll. Current law provides and operates separately from Florida Blue.
that taxes on these listed properties will be recovered through 22L-USAL-0872 112941 1222
the sale of tax certificates.