WINTON – Taxes – government entities have no trouble assessing them on an annual basis. The tricky part is the collection process.

As of Monday morning, Hertford County local government has $1,526,536.78 in unpaid property taxes on its past due ledger for the 2012 tax year. That amount is $156,691 more than the same period last year.

Now it becomes the task of the Hertford County Tax Office to collect what’s due.

On Monday, the Hertford County Board of Commissioners gave their approval to Gay Sumner, the county’s Tax Collector, to begin the procedure to advertise these tax liens.

Sumner told the commissioners that the delinquent tax notices were mailed out on Friday (Feb. 1).

“We’re two weeks ahead of schedule from previous years on mailing out those notices,” Sumner said. “We’re giving those who are past due until 5 p.m. on March 4 to pay their 2012 taxes or they will see their name in the newspaper as well as their amount due, which includes a late payment fee.”

The advertisement of the past due accounts is scheduled for insertion in early April, Sumner said.

Jan. 7 marked the last day that 2012 property taxes could be paid without penalty. After that date, the county tacks on a 2 percent late payment penalty. An additional ¾’s of 1 percent interest is accrued each month thereafter until such time the taxes are paid in full.

Those needing to pay their 2012 taxes can use several different methods to do so – at the Tax Office, at an after-hours payment drop box located outside the County Office Building parking lot entrance, or by phone at 1-888-520-8728.

Sumner added that the Tax Office had already launched the annual effort to collect unpaid taxes through the garnishment method. Garnishments can come through federal/state income tax refunds.

“We’re also working on the foreclosure process for those in arrears on their county taxes,” Sumner noted.

Hertford County contracts with Irvine Law Firm, PLLC to process tax foreclosures.