Colorado City, Arizona's 35 communal properties are facing tax lien foreclosures if they failed to settle unpaid taxes and interest within three years with lien purchasers. About 150 houses and land holdings in the polygamous community is in danger of foreclosure due to nonpayment of the 2007 property taxes amounting to $124,000.
The treasurer's office of the Mohave County auctioned off its investment interests in these communal properties in Colorado City as part of a tax lien sale for February. As of August, the troubled properties owe the city more than $148,900 in unpaid taxes. Included in the delinquent properties are houses, school and commercial buildings, undeveloped land and a park where a zoo was once located.
The city of Colorado's tax bill totaled $1.2 million in 2007. The properties at risk of tax lien foreclosures are included in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints' communal holdings, the United Effort Plan (UEP) Trust.
Aside from Colorado properties, UEP Trust has properties on Bountiful, British Columbia and Hilsdale, Utah. But since 2005, the Utah court has been in control of the Hilsdale trust due to mismanagement accusations against the church leaders.
The land in questioned are not subdivided. Generally, tax payments are calculated by church leaders for individuals. The money will be turned over to the bishop who will then pay the county tax dues. Usually, any tax payment shortfall was covered by wealthier businesses or residents.
Historically, non-members of the congregation who resided in trust houses were issued tax notices. They send their payments to post office boxes. And any shortfall in tax payment was covered by the church.
Utah and Arizona tax collectors said that taxes were always paid on time. However, the trust is now being managed by Bruce Wisan, an accountant appointed by a court in Salt Lake City. According to Wisan, both nonmembers and congregation members who reside in trust houses failed to pay their 2007 taxes. He explained that there was a confusion on property tax payments because the congregation refused to cooperate with him and acknowledge his authority.
A representative of the congregation accused Wisan of failing to seek exemptions for property taxes that were previously given to the church. As of August, the communal properties owe about $428,721 for property taxes in 2008. Another tax lien foreclosures sale is scheduled for February 2010.
John Cutts has been educated in the finer points of the foreclosure market over 5 years.
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