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May 13, 2008 7:15 pm US/Pacific
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Call Kurtis: Estate Closed
Woman Gets Billed for Mom's Back Taxes
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
LaRay's mom, Judy Ruth Chappel, passed away in 2002. "Very proud woman and loved to gamble. She loved to laugh. She was a very nice lady."
Because she didn't have a will her family turned to the Placer County Court System where she last lived to settle her estate. The County sold off Judy Ruth's Citrus Heights home and paid off her bills. The left-over money was split between LaRay and her brother.
"Close to a year later I get a notice from Sacramento County that I owe taxes, property taxes on it." The first bill said she owed more than a $1000.00 on her mom's home. Property she never actually owned.
She says the property taxes should have been dealt with. "They should have been taken out of the estate before everybody was paid."
Sacramento County sent LaRay bills, with penalties. Eventually they got a judgment and placed a lien on LaRay's property for a current total of $4,500.00.
Now nearly 6-years after her mom's death, she got me involved. We contacted the Placer County Attorney's who handled Judy Ruth's Estate. They told us after selling her home; they did pay off the property taxes to Sacramento County, $339.00.
Sacramento County confirms they received that money, but they claim they had the right to re-access the property value after LaRay's mom died. But, they say no one told them she died. So the re-assessment bill never got in before the Estate was settled.
Even after we explained the situation Sacramento County isn't backing down, saying they want that $4,500.00 in unpaid property taxes and penalties. "I feel that they want money and they don't care if it's fair or not and that I don't really owe it."
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