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Read. Follow. Verify.Vermont allows tax sales for abandoned and uninhabitable properties below $1,500 debt
Last action · January 23, 2026: Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military AffairsSponsor: Marc Mihaly
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What This Bill Would Do
Municipalities in Vermont are authorized to initiate property tax sales for properties with less than $1,500 in outstanding taxes if a court finds the property abandoned and the dwelling unfit for human habitation, effective July 1, 2026.
Property owners with tax debts under $1,500 face the risk of losing abandoned homes to municipal tax sales once courts declare the structures uninhabitable, altering local government debt recovery powers.
- Under existing Vermont law, municipal tax collectors generally cannot extend a warrant for tax sales unless the taxpayer owes a minimum of $1,500.00 and is delinquent for over a year. context
- Representative Marc Mihaly represents the town of Calais in the Vermont General Assembly. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
delinquent taxpayers
Taxpayers facing delinquency can have their properties sold for tax debt under $1,500 if deemed abandoned and uninhabitable, and must be offered a repayment plan before proceedings begin.
municipalities
Town tax collectors gain the authority to pursue tax sales for debts under $1,500 upon securing court orders for abandoned and uninhabitable properties.
mortgagees and lien holders
Mortgagees and lien holders receive written notice of tax sales and potential property-securing actions taken by the municipality.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a municipality sell a property for less than $1,500 in back taxes?
Must a tax collector offer a payment plan before starting a tax sale?
What fees are allowed for legal assistance during a tax sale?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
1 action- Jan 23, 2026HouseIntroducedRead first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Lowering Debt Threshold for Tax Sales
The bill creates a specific carve-out to the standard $1,500 minimum delinquent tax threshold specifically tied to court-verified abandonment and uninhabitability.
Connected Entities
Sources
legislature.vermont.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy40Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz15Current news / social attention level
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