The clock is ticking on a number of Pierce County property owners who owe back taxes – 17 to be exact.

The deadline to pay up 2005, 2006 and 2007 property taxes to the county is Oct. 1. If they are not, paid the land goes over to the county which will auction it off later this fall at the appraised value, according to Karin Fursather, county auditor.

The property in question is a mix of farm land and residences as well as a number of vacant lots.

“Some of the property is located in Rugby, Wolford and Balta,’ Fursather said. “I expect some of it will be paid, but some won’t.”

The list of delinquent property owners is much higher than past years. “We usually have a list that takes up one page, but this year it’s two and half pages,’ she said.

Property owners received a letter last December notifying them of the back taxes owed and another in January and February of this year, Fursather said. However, there has been little feedback from the property owners about paying off the taxes before October.

Last week, the county commissioners met with Wayne Stevenson, county tax director to review what the appraisals would be on the property, if it’s not paid off by next month.

If a property owner does not meet the Oct. 1 deadline, they still have a chance to keep their property, Fursather said, however, they would have to pay back all of the tax on the land, which could span up to five years.