Whitehorse property owners who haven't paid their taxes have until the end of the day Tuesday if they want to avoid having their names published next week.

Rob Fendrick, the city's director of administrative services, told city council Monday night the list of property owners in arrears will be published in local newspapers a week from this Friday.

There are 93 property owners in arrears, owing a total of $155,598 in taxes and penalties, according to the list presented to council Monday.

Records indicate there were 62 properties owing $127,000 on last year's list.

Valerie Anderson, the city's manager of finance, pointed out if the amounts owed by two commercial property owners were subtracted from this year's list, the outstanding dollar value would be close to last year's.

Both commercial businesses are aware they're in arrears, she said.

One of the property owners has already paid the taxes, but not the 10 per cent penalty for being late, which amounts to $10,268 on its own, according to the list.

Anderson said municipalities in the Yukon are required by territorial law to publish the names of property owners whose taxes are in arrears.

Under the process laid out in the Taxation and Assessment Act, the city is obligated to file a lien on the property 60 days after the list is published if the taxes are outstanding.

The process in the legislation leads to the eventual seizure of the property in about a year's time, Anderson said.

She said in her five years working for the city, officials have never had to seize a property, as property owners can come in and establish a payment plan or make some other arrangement with the city if they need to.

"It's a lot of work,” she of the steps toward property seizure.

"We would rather have people pay their taxes. If you can't pay, come talk to use and we will see what we can work out.”

Anderson did point out, however, the city is close to seizing two properties.

If that happens, she explained, they're sold on the open market, with the city recouping the outstanding taxes, and the balance going to the property owner.

Anderson said it's standard procedure across Canada to have some sort of legislation requiring property for outstanding taxes because it's not fair for taxpayers in good standing to carry the burden of unpaid property taxes.