MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – A Barton woman has settled a legal dispute with the village of Orleans after her home was seized as part of a property tax sale.
Vermont Legal Aid represented Penny Flynn, a local retired resident who fell $6,500 behind on her taxes. The town ended up seizing the $80,000 house as part of a property tax sale.
Vermont Legal Aid argued that because the house was worth substantially more than the unpaid taxes, the village violated the Takings Clause of the U.S. Constitution. As part of the settlement, Flynn will get her property back and legal fees paid.