Mr. Jones had to have either filed state income tax returns or have drawn a social security check. The imperitive for the state was that they had to make contact with the owner. If he had been renting the property it would have been no different than the fact that his daughter was living there. She had no obligation (although I agree common sense would dictate) to notify her father- assuming she had been there to take receipt of the certified letter. Anyway, the state was just lazy, as usual. You can bet if he doesn't come up with the back taxes and penalties they will get him the next go around. The biggest problem is that there are no private property owners. The government owns it all. This is a clear illustration of it. No one is "secure" in their porperty without paying protection money. It is no wonder organized crime is on the decline. They found legitimate work as politicians.
Well, someone's got to pay for the police and fire department that protect your property. It's either the state, or the mob.
There's no free lunch. No one's going to be a cop for free.
No he didn't, as I'm sure you'll agree on reflection. I certainly did neither last year- I did pay my property "protection money" to the state though!
The line has to be drawn somewhere on how much effort the state must make. Certified or registered letter and public notice is traditional and reasonably effective.
The reason for property taxes: "He who pays the piper calls the tune". But these days it is the social parasites who are calling the governments' tunes. There oughta be a way to tax worthlessness.