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As I promised earlier in the week, if someone would provide me with the list of RTC members, I would check them against the same motor vehicle tax delinquency list on which I found 4 Democratic Aldermen, and 5 Democratic Town Committee members listed. I found that as of March 4, 2009, there were 4 Republican Town Committee members listed as delinquent on their motor vehicle taxes:
DONALD GREGORY $ 448.09
NICHOLAS J. PAONESSA 84.09
HARRY PLAUT 66.61
ALPHONSE WRIGHT 371.90
Although the number of individuals and the dollar amounts are significantly lower for the Republicans, the fact remains that if someone is going to run for public office, the public has a right to expect them to pay their taxes the same way the rest of us are expected to.
For this reason, on Election Day the voters need to remember not to return those aldermen who are tax delinquents, especially those who say it is none of your business if they don’t pay their taxes!
22 comments:
Maybe the Dems should run Frank Smith for tax collector! He is certainly doing a good job shaming elected officials into paying their taxes. Imagine what he could do for the entire city?
Frank,
Sometimes making this issue public is the only way to make people fulfill their obligations to the city. Unfortunately many people have other mitigating issues as to why their taxes are not paid. The majority of these issues are motor vehicles and regularly fall through the cracks when cars are sold, wrecked or taken out of service.
As a word to the wise our plate finder vehicle system will be in use as of next week and many of these issues will be resolved without the owners consent. There is over $16 million in unpaid motor vehicle taxes due the city and I'm sure that even a 25% return will do our next years budget a real compliment.
Mayor Stewart
Here is a mitigating factor: At one time I co-owned several various
vehicles with several of my children. It was their responsibility to pay their own taxes and insurance. As young adults many parents can attest to what a nightmare it is to try to keep your young adults mindful and
responsible. The kids would sell, transfer etc and never turn their plates in or cancel old registrations no matter how much nagging and reminding I provided. I myself have been notified at the DMV window that I cannot register a vehicle because of back taxes on my children's vehicles. This point in my life has thankfully run it's course. Raising teens is hard enough. Being a member of a town politcal party has just ranked right up there exposure to
embarrassing moments.
The Mayor makes a good point about how the city needs the money, and he has proposed a budget that makes sense, but no action has been taken by the Democrats on the council to pass that budget.
All the Democrats do, as always, is look for ways to raise everyone's taxes and they are trying to find ways to give people raises during these tough times. If they had their way, they are proposing an $8 million increase in the school budget alone, which will allow huge increases for teachers and school administrators while most taxpayers are losing their jobs and even losing their homes.
The council Democrats just keep looking for more ways to raise our taxes, but they don't seem to be able to be willing to pay their own taxes, or maybe they just feel that they are above the law?
You will note that none of the Republican are elected official.
Wright is the only " want to be " in the group of delinquents. He has run for everything but has never been elected and never will be. Amen to that .!!
Hopefully, the plate finder vehicle system will get most of the delinquent taxpayers to ante up.
Frank,
I know how your readers appreciate up to date and accurate information.
My taxes were paid in full on 04/29/2009 $448.09 with $67.20 interest.
I apologize to my fellow citizens for not paying my taxes in a more timely fashion.
I, alone, am to blame for not paying them sooner.
Thank you,
Donald Gregory
Mr. Paonessa did serve on the property tax board of appeals.
Mayor Stewart,
The plate finder is a step in the right direction for collection of
taxes and parking tickets. What public notices will be given to residents to warn them and what if
any incentives such as forgiving of
any late fees might be considered
if residents come in before plate finder is put to good use? Tax
amnesty programs have proved to be
very effective in many cities recently. The city of Salem, MA
recently provided such amnesty of
late fees and interest on parking tickets if the offender arrived in
person to pay along with 2 canned
food items per ticket for their
local food pantry. Residents paid
up overwhelmingly and the city filled it's food pantry.
Democrats should take note of Donald Gregory's statement. Here's a man who accepts responsibility for his own actions--isn't that a novel idea?
No nasty comments about "how dare you" publish public information. No comments about how it is none of your business if I ever pay my taxes, like one Alderman and his wife were quoted as saying.
Just "I, alone, am to blame for not paying them sooner."
This is one gentleman who deserves to go further in politics, should he ever decide to. How refreshing to find an honest person!
Besides those Democrats on the Council who owe back taxes, who else on the Democrat Town Committee owe back taxes? It is only fair to list them as well.
Mr. Gregory has run for office previously but lost to one of our
local losers hands down. Next time
his name is on the ballot let's hope the public places an educated
vote.
Frank,
I know how your readers appreciate up to date and accurate information.
My taxes were paid in full on 04/29/2009 $448.09 with $67.20 interest.
I apologize to my fellow citizens for not paying my taxes in a more timely fashion.
I, alone, am to blame for not paying them sooner.
Thank you,
Donald Gregory
May 6, 2009 3:56 PM
Commissioner Gregory:
I appreciate your honest remarks regarding citing that “you are to blame” however if you check my blog I did cite the Democratic members for their late taxes as of 3-4-09 and was subsequently asked why not report on the RTC
membership.
The reason was I did not have list of the RTC membership which arrived a few days ago.
In all fairness I was obligated to use the same date for late payments by the RTC membership in order to be fair to the DTC membership.
I trust this explanation is acceptable to you as being fair.
Frank Smith
Isn't it interesting that none of the 4 Republicans listed here have mentioned it's none of our business!!
Mayor Stewart is correct when he said many people have mitigating issues as to why their taxes haven't been paid. Most people eventually do catch up on paying their taxes.
Donald Gregory was humble in his admitting he alone is to blame for not paying his taxes sooner, and in extending his apologies to his fellow citizens for not paying his taxes sooner.
I have found Donald Gregory to be a very forthright gentlemen with many concerns about the well being of New Britain. I hope the Republicans nominate him to run for Alderman--preferably Alderman at Large.
I have not met Mr. Gregory, nor would I even know who he was if I saw him, but I would vote for him for Alderman before I would vote for any of those 13 self serving Democrats who are presently on the council.
Mr. Paonessa was a appointee to that board from March 1st through April 30, 2008 for the purpose of assisting the elected board members during the hearings after re-evaluation.
Frank,
Thank you for your explanation as far as the date you used is concerned, although no explanation was needed. I understood you were simply stating the facts and being fair. I just wanted to inform your readers that my taxes are current and to apologize for not paying them on time. I am all for sticking to the facts and being fair.
As many people, I could have given you a long list of excuses for not paying them sooner, I could have attempted to divert the attention to the many others who owe taxes, I could have been rude and called you names, but I decided to do what is right and take ownership for my faults. This should be no surprise for I always believed this should be the norm. Besides, who amongst us is perfect?
I am humbled by some of the comments some have made about me in this blog and am honored to have such support. I hope you understand that I truly am embarrassed not only for myself but also for any shame I may have caused the RTC.
Regards,
Donald Gregory
Often taxes are though of as something that are sent away to a distant city or state to fund programs that do not affect the taxpayer making the payments, "taxation without representation"
However municipal property taxes are an example of taxation that funds basic services and local programs,
The fact is that many of us have had delinquent property taxes at some point, Often as someone mentioned earlier it is not until you go to register your car that we realize that we have an outstanding obligation.
As Mayor Stewart noted the city has purchased a new tool to collect these past due taxes.
Mr., Smith has exposed to us that our elected officials are human and prone to make these same mistakes.
The responses that we have heard so far from members of EACH party speaks volumes as to the character of those unfortunate enough to have been "outed".
-----------------------------------
We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride and four times as much by our foolishness.
Benjamin Franklin
To tax and to please, no more than to love and to be wise, is not given to men.
Edmund Burke (1729-1797) British political writer.
“If you blame others for your failures, do you credit them with your success?”
Author unknown
Regarding the new plate finder Anonymous asked:
What public notices will be given to residents to warn them?
How about the tax bills they have been ignoring? It is everyone's duty to pay their taxes. Why does anyone need to be warned that the law will finally be enforced?
Try some responsibility for your own actions for a change!
Donald Gregory's second posting shows what an upright man he is. He should realize that his coming forward, rather than bringing shame upon the RTC, they should be proud to have him on the committee. The Democrats ought to follow the Republicans actions...Don't blame everyone else for their ineptitude. According to the Herald, Republican Chairman Paul Carver announced at the May 5 meeting he would submit the Town Committee list to Frank Smith...this shows the Republicans are more up front than the Dems...There's hope for us yet!!!
If Mr. Smith had a late tax payment I doubt that this topic would be on this blog.
If I remember correctly, the last democratic candidate for mayor (can't remember his name) but I do remember that his house was in pre-foreclosure. See what we do remember? Bad publicity.
This current wall of shame is effective at election time. In the future of the blog let's hope
we are provided some positive findings as to who we should vote for. Perhaps we can have the list of local politicians that were able to get their taxes paid before 3/09.
To the angry person that feels public notice and final warning before plate finder goes into effect: We all need to work toward
a common goal and the common good.
We have millions of dollars in unpaid taxes and tickets. It is in
all of our best interest to bring in as much of those (sometimes un-collectible) taxes and tickets. If giving an incentive and sometimes
as other major cities such as Chigago IL has done providing an amnesty and more is collected than
would have been through other means, isn't that a win win situation?
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