Marion County gives refund for nonexistent tax-sale property

JASPER, Tenn. (AP) – Marion County is refunding money paid for a property sold at tax auction that doesn’t actually exist.

Marion County Attorney Billy Gouger says this sort of thing has happened before.

A few years ago, Marion sold property at a delinquent tax sale that was actually in nearby Grundy County.

The small piece of fictional property that was refunded this time is in an area surrounded by mineral and coal company land. Gouger says likely the property was swallowed up, although it may never have existed to begin with.

The county commission voted at its March meeting to refund the buyer $1,000 plus $186.99 in property taxes. But state law doesn’t require a refund. Gouger says people buy tax sale property at their own risk.