By Graham Sweeney
Bartlett realty tax collections for 2012 are currently among the highest in Shelby County.
Shelby County Trustee David Lenoir recently announced that 67 percent of Bartlett’s realty tax from the previous fiscal year has been collected, ranking the city behind only Arlington and Lakeland in refunds.
As of Jan. 28, Lenoir said $29.2 million has been collected from Bartlett. Less than $15 million remains due by March 1, when taxes become delinquent.
Lenoir said his office aimed to collect $24 million in countywide delinquent taxes from the 2011 fiscal year.
“So far,” he said, “we have collected $17 million. We are in our heavy collection period right now.”
Nearly $360 million has been collected throughout the county, with $289 million still due.
“The school teachers of Shelby County sure appreciate that,” Lenoir said. “That’s where the bulk of these tax dollars go (69 percent goes to city schools and 31 to the county schools).”
At $43.5 million, Bartlett ranks fourth among Shelby municipalities for realty taxes billed. Memphis ($383.5 million), Collierville ($58.1 million) and Germantown ($57.8 million) were each billed more.
Noting that the Shelby County Trustee’s Office also focuses on the collection of personalty taxes, a business tax on furniture, fixtures and equipment, Lenoir said Bartlett ranks third in the county for personalty taxes billed.
To date, the county has collected $708,053, or 36 percent, in personalty taxes from the Bartlett.
Lenoir also noted that the city generated $8.5 million in sales tax revenue from 2011-2012, six percent more than the previous year. Only Memphis ($107.9 million) and Collierville ($9.5 million) generated more.
“Sales tax revenue has increased in each of the last three years,” Lenoir noted.
