Orange County’s biggest tax delinquents live in some of the county’s wealthiest neighborhoods, tax records show.
WFTV reporter George Spencer checked with the county and obtained a list of property owners who have the largest unpaid tax bills. They’re clustered in some of the county’s swankiest neighborhoods: Winter Park, Windermere and Dr. Phillips.
Property taxes were due more than two months ago, on March 31. They pay for all kinds of basic county services, from running schools to keeping neighborhoods safe.
Three Windermere residents owe a total of $150,000 in property taxes; three owners in Dr. Phillips owe $176,000; and four homeowners in Winter Park owe $196,000.
One of the Winter Park property owners on the list is Barry Scripps, a member of the same famous family that founded one of the nation’s largest media conglomerates.
Scripps owes $77,000 in unpaid taxes, records show. It’s the biggest unpaid tax bill in Orange County. He told WFTV he expects to have his bill paid by Sept. 1. Scripps said he decided not to pay by the deadline so he would have cash in case some of his other business dealings did not work out.
Also on the list are a well-known local doctor and several businessmen.
Lou Treadway of County Watch, a bipartisan group that keeps tabs on local government issues, was surprised by how much money was owed by the delinquent homeowners.
“I was pretty much flabbergasted,’’ he said. “That's not chump change.’’
Orange County auctions off the unpaid tax debt, mostly to big banks, which want to earn interest from it. They can make between 5 and 18 percent interest.
Spencer interviewed one Winter Park homeowner on the list who said she would pay her bill, which totals almost $41,000.
She said she had the money but wanted to spend it on other things in March.
“Give me a break. When is it ever convenient to pay your taxes?’’ Treadway said.
WFTV
