The most recent list of Cuyahoga county's top 12 property tax dodgers shows these companies owe the county more than $29 million.
The most recent list isposted on the Cuyahoga County website, with each of the top owing at least a million dollars.
County Treasurer Christopher Murray told newsnet5.com collecting these large amounts is a difficult process, with many of these companies having elaborate knowledge of how to "work the system."
Murray explained companies with large sums in back taxes will make minimum payments and continually ask for property reassessment in an effort to slow down the collection process.
Murray told newsnet5.com some of the companies are in bankruptcy making even harder to collect back property taxes.
Still residents like Air Force veteran Michael K. Johnson believes the county could do more to collect on these huge back tax amounts, instead of working so hard on small amounts owed by homeowners.
Johnson has owned his Cleveland home for 40 years, but currently owes $4,000 in back taxes, and is now facing foreclosure. The 62 year old Air Force veteran said he has medical issues having a tough time finding work.
He believes if the county would come after the large companies like they’re coming after him, there would be a significant increase in collections.
"It’s easier to get somebody on the bottom rung of the ladder than it is to get one of these companies," said Johnson. "Cause they got all these high priced lawyers who protect them."
Murray explained the county tax collection policy is simple.
"I would say that each delinquent taxpayer is treated with the same care and due diligence as all the rest, so we don't make any allowances for size of the delinquency or the size of taxpayers," said Murray.
