Taxes for thee, but not for me: Commissioner Levent Late on Property Tax Payments…Again

Beleaguered Forsyth County Commissioner Todd Levent is late on his property tax payments again, according to the County website. This marks the seventh year over the past eight years where Levent has not paid his taxes on time, often requiring the County to place a lien on the property before he ponied up.

The property at issue is Levent’s investment property on Hamby Road, which was once the center of controversy after neighbors accused Levent of bully tactics during a rezoning meeting featured on Fox 5 news.

The County relies on timely tax payments to fund government activities, but it has not been able to rely on its own Commissioner in this regard as Levent has often waited months, and even years to pay his taxes.

Forsyth County mails out property tax bills in August, and they are not due until November, but this has not proven sufficient for Levent to make timely payments. Forsyth County has had to place liens on Levent’s property in 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, and has not yet filed one for 2023.

The County budget has increased over 100% during Levent’s tenure, while the County’s population has increased 52%. After years of unsuccessful attempts, including votes to more than double his salary, Levent voted to raise his County salary 23% last year. The raise went into effect this year, but Levent was still late on his tax payments.