By Terri T. Johnson

Staff writer

ttjohnso@observer-reporter.com

With Washington attempting to pull out of a financial crisis, tax collections for 2007 were better than expected. And that pleases Mayor Sonny Spossey.

Spossey, who took office Jan. 7 and previously served as city treasurer, said the highest collection rate he had previously seen was 87 percent.

Through Dec. 31, the city realized a 97 percent collection rate for real estate taxes totaling $2,659,374 toward the budgeted $2,740,615.

As for earned income taxes collected, the amount was more than $69,000, or 111 percent of the anticipated money, when the carryover from 2006 was included.

Local services tax, formerly known as occupational privilege tax, was at 96 percent, or $464,182 of the budgeted $485,000.

Eighty-eight percent of the anticipated delinquent solid waste fees were received, with only $4,674 outstanding. Mercantile tax collection was 102 percent of the budgeted $205,000, including the carryover, for a total of $208,678.

Current solid waste collections were at 99 percent of the budgeted $831,327.

Portnoff Law Associates, contracted by the city to handle payment of delinquent taxes collected $160,000 during 2007.

Spossey credited the tax collection department in the city with its "aggressive" approach, and also the efforts of the Portnoff firm for the increase in collected taxes.

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