WHAT IF THEY HELD AN AUCTION...AND NOBODY CAME?

By Juan Montoya

Well, despite the hoopla and front page articles about how the auction of tax-delinquent properties was going to pump millions into the coffers of county, municipal schools, and assorted taxing districts, they will have to fight for a measly $160,000.

Don't get us wrong. At this point in time for cash-strapped public entities todo es bueno.

But, still, the visions of millions being collected with a massive sale of 73 properties on the courthouse steps must have made the entities' treasures salivate at the thought of collecting at least a portion of the taxes owed their respective bodies.

Instead, they will have to settle for a piece of the crumb that resulted from putting the properties on the block.

The biggest fish, a $2.7 million valued piece of real estate known as the former Dolly Vinsant Memorial Hospital was dangled a mere $630,375 but got no bites. Another 17 properties were rescued by their owners who appeared at the last minute to make arrangements to pay.

Since the big money items weren't sold, it is evident that it was the smaller purchases, the foreclosed homes of individuals who were caught in the mortgage squeeze or couldn't make their payments to Cameron County Tax Assessor-Collector Tony Yzaguire, that made up the bulk of the $160,000 in cash that ended up in public coffers.

No one wants to defend the tax scofflaws, but it is apparent that many family homes and individuals losing their homes to the taxman were the big losers in this auction, and that there were no big winners among the taxing entities.