House approves cutting Fulton tax chief’s profits
Legislation to stop Fulton County’s tax collector from personally profiting off tax debts moved from the House to the Senate on Monday. House Bill 819 passed 173-1.
An investigation by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution last year found that Tax Commissioner Arthur Ferdinand has been using an old law to collect 50 cents every time he sells a tax lien to a private collector or a property owner pays off a lien on his own — amounting to tens of thousands of dollars per year. The practice, initially done without the County Commission’s knowledge, has boosted Ferdinand’s annual pay to about $383,000 — by far the highest compensation for any Georgia elected official.
“It’s paying someone for not doing their job,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Chuck Martin, R-Alpharetta.
The bill would also require tax commissioners to try to find a taxpayer through Internet searches and people-finder databases, among other records, to make sure he is notified before the county sells a lien against his property.
About the Author
Johnny Edwards, a member of the AJC’s investigative team, covers state and local government and private sector regulation.
