Almost a hundred lots in the name of James C. Justice, the governor of West Virginia, sold at public auction this month because of delinquent property taxes.
Most of the lots in Justice’s name, 85, were in McDowell County. Twelve more sold at auction in Raleigh County.
The taxes owed on the lots specifically in Justice’s name that were up for auction in those counties added up to about $75,000.
The lots were available for sale because property taxes went unpaid and warnings were unheeded over more than a year. Although the lots have now been sold, the state’s process still allows months for Justice or his businesses to reclaim their property.
Property taxes in West Virginia go to support public school districts, local libraries, police, public parks and additional local government services.
Public auctions this month in McDowell, Raleigh and Wyoming counties included dozens of properties owned by Justice or his family-owned businesses.
Justice, a two-term Republican governor who is running a high-profile race for U.S. Senate, has dozens of business holdings listed on his annual state ethics disclosures.
The governor, once considered West Virginia’s only billionaire, has not placed most of his family’s holdings in a blind trust but has repeatedly said the responsibility of running the businesses has been passed on to Jay and adult daughter Jill Justice.
Last week, Justice spoke publicly about his frustrations with the focus on his family businesses’ financial situation, asking news reporters to take a step back.
“Jim Justice, of all people in the world, is going to hold the key with his success in winning the Senate position, the key to flip the whole U.S. Senate – so what do we gotta do, the liberal media’s gotta do? They’ve gotta beat up Jim Justice,” he said during a 12-minute conclusion to his weekly briefing.
“If you want to beat on these stories and everything about the family, what I would hope you would do is just calm down a little bit and let Jay and Jill do their thing and work night and day; they’re great, great young Americans.”
Many of the lots up for auction this week were in the governor’s own name, James C. Justice II.
Most of those sold in McDowell County: 71 to a company called Pivot Capital, seven to a buyer named Bobby Justus, four to buyer Brandy Walser, one to Carrie Kiger, one to Dale Sizemore and one to Thomas D. Bailey. Four properties in the name of James C. Justice received no bid.
More James C. Justice II properties sold in Raleigh County: Six to Mapa LLC, three to Cato Energy, two to Elemental Resources and one to WVTA. One James C. Justice lot in Raleigh County received no bid.
Dozens more properties of Justice family companies were sold at auction June 14 in McDowell County, June 15 in Raleigh County and June 16 in Wyoming County.
Those include 88 National Resources lots, 47 Bluestone Resources lots, 37 Saddlebred LLC lots, 5 Tams Management lots, 4 Grandview Investment Company lots, 2 James C. Justice companies lots and one lot each for James Land Company and Kirby Land Company.
A handful of lots received no bid but could still be purchased through the state Auditor’s Office.
There’s still significant time until the lots are taken over by the purchasers — and potential time for Justice and his businesses to regain the property.
State law provides for 120 days for a title search by the purchaser — including a requirement to notify anyone with a legal interest — and then at minimum 150 days before the Auditor’s Office can issue a deed. The property can be redeemed up until the deed is recorded in the County Clerk’s office.
“Nine months is about the average time from sale to issuance of deed, but it all depends on how long the title search and notification takes,” said Kallie Cart, deputy chief of staff for the West Virginia Auditor.
Delinquent tax issues mount over months, with multiple warnings.
Mid-July each year, county sheriffs send out tax tickets by mail. First half taxes are due Sept. 1 with a discount, and second half taxes on March 1. Overdue taxes are published in local newspapers in May. By the next September, legal ads are again published in newspapers and certified letter are sent to the delinquent taxpayer.
By the start of the second November on the timeline, the Auditor’s Office receives a delinquent tax list that includes the delinquent year, plus the current year. By the second March, properties still in question are certified for public auction by the Auditor’s Office, and yet another classified advertisement is published.
Over three months of April, May and June, public auctions of delinquent properties occur in county courthouses.
