The legal ad ran across most of two full newspaper pages and was filled with names and numbers in a typeface so small it could send some readers reaching for a magnifying glass.
Amid the fine print in that Sept. 3 advertisement were hundreds of Licking County land owners and the amounts they owed in delinquent property taxes at that moment. Some unpaid bills are owed by individuals, others by businesses.
The bills add up to nearly $9.2 million – more than half of which would go to local schools if and when the bills are paid. The unpaid bills amount to about 1.6% of the $586 million in property tax bills mailed by the Licking County treasurer’s office this year.
Still, $9.2 million is no small thing.
The delinquent tax bills listed in the ad ranged from $50.56 owed on 32 acres in eastern Licking County to $911,225.35 owed by Amazon Data Services for three properties it owns on Beech and Miller roads in western Licking County.
In the month since the ad appeared in the Newark Advocate, the $50.56 bill has been paid. The Amazon bills for $524,611.04 on 218 acres on Beech Road, $204,818.83 on another 71 acres on Beech Road and $181,795.48 on 68 acres on nearby Miller Road have yet to be paid, according to Licking County records.
Amazon said in an emailed statement on Friday that it “paid all property taxes that were due in the last property tax cycle (July 2025).”
But the company said that corrected property tax bills that applied to the last billing cycle were sent to a different mailing address.
“Amazon is actively engaged with Licking County to pay any outstanding amounts and ensure all future notices are sent to the appropriate mailing address,” the company said in the Oct. 2 statement. “The amounts in the corrected property tax bills are due on Dec. 1, 2025.”
The legal advertisement, in addition to letters sent to each delinquent taxpayer, is an effort by the county treasurer’s office to get the attention of the property owners and to collect the taxes that support public schools and local governments, park districts and agencies such as Job and Family Services.
In some cases, the reaction is, “Oh, my God! I didn’t realize…” said Licking County Treasurer Roy Van Atta. “A lot of that will get paid. When they get the delinquent bill with a penalty, many of them will make the payment.”
A 1.5% penalty is applied to tax bills not paid on time, Van Atta said, and his office charges 10% interest per half year on unpaid bills.
He said his office will work with property owners who make an effort to pay their bills. His staff goes beyond sending letters and placing legal ads to reach out to owners to try to set up meetings with them. They have worked out payment plans for people who are struggling to pay.
“I don’t like paying taxes,” Van Atta said. “I think we’re over-taxed, but I have a job to do.”
He understands the inevitability of paying taxes better than most. He worked in the funeral business for many years before becoming the county’s tax collector.
“I’ve now worked in the two areas we all know we can’t avoid – death and taxes,” he said.
And because of that, he also understands the importance of approaching people with empathy.
He and his staff do their best to “have compassion and give people some grace,” Van Atta said. “My concern is for the seniors who have owned homes for many years and are on a fixed income.”
Some have seen steady and sometimes steep increases in their property taxes over the decades they have called Licking County their home.
The reappraisal of properties, which is done every three years, saw values increase by an average of 40% in Licking County in 2023. Licking County Auditor Michael L. Smith said at the time that tax bills wouldn’t go up 40% or go as high as some property owners might think, but the resulting tax bills still gave some property owners a jolt.
Smith and Van Atta both say that owners who believe their property values are too high have the opportunity to challenge them. And Smith has said that if an owner can show that they deserve a reduction, they’ll get it.
| Read more: Average home values are up 40%, but Licking County auditor says property tax bills won’t jump that high
Van Atta said property owners should contact their state representatives and urge them to enact changes in state law to reduce the property tax burden.
He also said he’s confident that Amazon Data Services will pay its sizable tax bills. He’s seen this movie before, he said, and it’s typically a result of a revaluation of the property based on the purchase price or construction on the site.
“That’ll get paid,” he said.
Eventually, those who don’t pay their delinquent bills could find their names and properties listed in another column of public notices in the back pages of the newspaper – those that fall under the heading of “tax foreclosure sale.”
“Foreclosure is a last resort,” Van Atta said. For those who have fallen behind, he said, “Call us. The last thing we want in this world is to foreclose. Make an honest effort to pay, and we’ll work with you.”
Alan Miller writes for TheReportingProject.org, the nonprofit news organization of Denison University’s Journalism program, which is supported by generous donations from readers. Sign up for The Reporting Project newsletter here.