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City of Neosho: Newton County refuses to pay court judgment for TIF taxes

The city of Neosho claims that Newton County still owes them money related to a lawsuit over TIF taxes.

Read the full press release from the city of Neosho below:

In April, the City of Neosho won a judgment against Newton County for its failure  to pay the City TIF sales tax money (judgment attached). This was money the County has  already collected and admitted it owes but refuses to pay. The County has offered one  excuse after another for not paying and the Court has rejected all of them. All that is left in  the case is to finally determine in a November 6, 2023 trial the amount of taxes and interest  the County must pay to the City.

The City’s lawsuit came after the County refused on multiple occasions to pay the  City the taxes owed by the County. After it was sued, the County finally paid the City  almost $1 million of its debt in several payments between 2021 and 2023. However, the  County has kept the remainder of the City’s tax money and as the Court has ruled, owes  interest on amounts it has not paid.

At a June 29 hearing, Judge Gayle Crane refused the County’s latest attempts to  escape the Court’s judgment. Even so, in its July 13 press release, the County offers the  public the same tired justifications for not paying the City its money that it has made  throughout the dispute – excuses already rejected by the City and the Court.

The City remains willing to conclude the litigation if the County simply pays the  TIF taxes and interest in the Court’s judgment. In fact, the City will attempt to obtain its  money in a mediation before the November 6 trial.

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