The city of Corpus Christi is owed some $5 million in unpaid old codes enforcement fines dating back to the 1970s -- and guess who the biggest single debtor is.

It's Nueces County.

Sara Foley, who does a great deal of digging on the government beat for the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, used a state public information act request to get the list of debtors to whom the city recently sent out bills.

The initial fees total almost $2.6 million. Combined with interest, the total is almost $5 million.

The largest debtor is Nueces County, which owes the city $138,339 in fines from as early as 1972. County Judge Loyd Neal said he wasn’t aware of the bills. County Auditor Peggy Hayes, who would be responsible for paying the bills, said her office still hasn’t received the 150 notices. They were mailed to the courthouse at 901 Leopard St.

But while the county’s bills are based on dozens of addresses, other steep fines come from a single property, such as the house at 1012 Mary St.

It received 49 violations over a 33-year period. The fines, which began in 1976 and went steadily until February of this year, total $59.879.76 with interest. The property is appraised at $13,351.

The Caller-Times also posted a PDF of the entire list of debtors at this link.

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