The Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments is still looking for help from the Legislature to avoid its tax liability to Auburn.

Instead, it should be looking for its checkbook to pay the $50,000 it owes the city in real estate and personal property taxes.

AVCOG has never paid local taxes to Auburn on its Manley Road office building. It was not assessed a tax bill until 1997, and the city made no effort to collect on the bills after that until Councilor Robert Mennealy questioned the organization’s tax status in 2003.

The city’s lawyers and the assessment review board both agreed that AVCOG is liable for property taxes.

Now the regional organization is pinning its hopes on lawmakers in Augusta, who could exempt it from local taxes.

As it stands, however, AVCOG has a significant tax bill, which should be paid. Maybe legislators will eventually get around to changing the law, but so far they haven’t. The tax liability is still on the books and, like every other taxpayer in Auburn, AVCOG should pay up.