New Jersey residents around Upper Pittsgrove Township may soon see the old Gulf gas station at Pole Tavern Circle up on the auction block. Over the years, the property has racked up more than $100,000 in back tax debt, and the local Township Committee is seeking to foreclose. The property was scheduled for auction at the Dec. 13 meeting of the Township Committee.
According to tax records, the owner of the Gulf Station is based out of Wilmington, Delaware. Officials say the property currently owes $60,000 in actual back taxes and at least another $40,000 in interest and penalties. The owner has not made tax payments on the property in more than five years, and the mayor said efforts to garnish the unpaid taxes were unsuccessful. This failure is what led to the foreclosure action.
Non-payment on the past tax debt is not the only problem facing the gas station. According to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the station has had several violations. Owners corrected some of those problems but other problems were reportedly not fixed. A spokesperson for the township it is not interested in obtaining the property, but instead wants solely to collect the back taxes owed.
With the economy the way it is, it is not uncommon for property owners to face foreclosure actions. For some, a repayment plan can stop foreclosure. For others, a plan to prevent additional default interest from accumulating is a good option. In any case, there are options available for those in need, including bankruptcy protection.
Source: NJ.com, “Upper Pittsgrove to foreclose on gas station property because of unpaid taxes, fees,” Phil Dunn, Nov. 28, 2011
