A property with years of unpaid taxes in Brighton that has been held by Washington County may soon be purchased by the City of Brighton.

Washington County Treasurer Jeff Garrett explained the situation began in June of 2001 when a parcel on East Washington Street in Brighton did not have taxes paid on it for the previous two years and went to tax sale but nobody bought it. Garrett explains, “When a property is offered for two consecutive years and no one bids it in a tax sale, the county has to take the tax sale certificate on it. Once that happens it is not offered at tax sale anymore, once the county has the certificate on it. What has happened in this case is that once the county received that certificate it never went to tax sale again so then the taxes just keep building up after that is what happens the unpaid taxes.” Garrett says he and County Attorney John Gish recently learned through informal conversations that the City of Brighton may be interested in the parcel.

The tax sale certificate full amount is $7,363. Garrett, Washington County Attorney John Gish and Washington County Supervisor Abe Miller plan to meet with Brighton officials. An agreement may then be drafted for the sale of the property which would be presented to the board of supervisors for approval. The assessed value is about $2,200.