Register of deeds race

WEB STORY CONTAINS UPDATED AND CORRECTED INFORMATION

THURSDAY, JAN. 29 — Ingham County Commissioner Carol Koenig, a finalist for register of deeds, may have unpaid property taxes on three properties she used to own in the city of Lansing.

If selected as the register of deeds, she would be responsible for tracking and recording property-related information, such as sales, for county records. She would also be responsible for filing liens on properties which have gone into foreclosure — whether from the lender or under tax foreclosure proceedings for unpaid taxes.

Koenig did not immediately return calls for comment. However she did text City Pulse this afternoon stating she doesn't own the properties with late taxes.

Public records show winter and summer taxes have not been paid on three Lansing properties Koenig sold last year. Taxes are a year behind on each property.

The City of Lansing is owed $1,365.75 in taxes for 1008 Cleveland St.; $1,816.38 on 719 Johnson St.; and $1,614.66 on 1010 Cleveland St. in Lansing. Records show taxes are a year late on those properties.

Winter taxes are billed on Dec. 1 of each year and due Feb. 15. Summer taxes are billed on July 1 of each year, and due on Aug. 31.

According to the Lansing City Assessor office, Koenig sold all three properties July 23 to James Boucher. 

The earlier City Pulse report relied on the delinquent tax search on the Ingham County website, which is not up to date. Staff in the City Assessor Office said Lansing properties are up to date on its site.

Staff in the City Treasurer's Office stated property taxes follow the property and not the owner. City Pulse does not know the terms of the sale of the property, which could have included payment of the taxes. 

Records show Koenig was late in paying taxes on those properties when she owned them in the last two years as well. She paid her 2012 taxes on Feb. 14, 2014. and her 2011 taxes on June 25, 2012. for her 1008 Cleveland property. She paid her 2012 winter taxes on the Johnson Street property on Feb. 14, 2014. and her summer taxes for that year on Sept. 11, 2012. On her other Cleveland Street property, she was also late in paying her taxes. Summer and winter taxes for 2012 were paid on Feb. 14, 2014, and her 2011 taxes were paid on June 25, 2012.

Inquiries to the other two panelists, Ingham County Clerk Barb Byrum and Ingham County Prosecutor Stuart Dunnings III were not immediately returned. 

This is not the first time Koenig’s property taxes have been an issue. Her property tax delinquencies were noted in a story in Dec. 28, 2011, in City Pulse.

Koenig and City Councilmembers Carol Wood and Derrick Quinney are the three finalists to be appointed to fill out the term of Curtis Hertel Jr., who took office in the state Senate on Jan. 1. They are scheduled for interviews at 3:15 p.m. today by the selection committee.

County records showed no delinquent taxes were owed by Wood or Quinney.

Koenig represents District 9, which comprises northeast East Lansing, northwest Meridian Township and a part of the Michigan State University campus. She was re-elected in 2014 and served since January 2009.