County sells 50-plus properties that were in limbo with back taxes

Photo by Tom Rivers – The former Bernie’s Laundromat and a neighboring building were sold for $14,000 last week to Ken Daluisio, who plans to expand his print business to the property.

MEDINA – Orleans County sold more than 50 properties last week that had been in limbo due to years of unpaid taxes.

Two of the properties – 128 East Center St. and 132-134 East Center St. – were sold to Ken Daluisio in a negotiated transaction. Daluisio will pay $14,000 for the two commercial properties. They are next door to his business, The Print Shop.

The properties, which includes the former Bernie’s Laundromat, accumulated $50,406 in back taxes and interest, according to the County Treasurer’s Office.

Daluisio wants to expand his print business next door, and renovate the sites for additional retail and business space. Daluisio is planning to add four awnings to the store fronts.

The County Legislature approved the sale on Wednesday, when the body also approved the sale of 51 lots at the annual tax foreclosure sale. The 51 properties sold for a combined $343,050. That was $43,151 short of the $386,201 owed in back taxes and interest.

Some of the properties sold well above the amount due in taxes, and others sold for far less.

The tax auctions usually are money losers for the county. Last year, the county took in about $140,000 for 43 properties with about $375,000 in unpaid taxes.

“It’s in the negative, but it’s not as bad as in the past,” County Treasurer Susan Heard told legislators last week.

Some of the property owners paid the taxes just before the auction to take them out of the sale.

The county is happy to see the properties return to the tax rolls. Heard said the owners may improve the sites, boosting the tax base.