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(Free Press) Asinine Detroit city councilwoman pays only $68 in property taxes a year on her very large, very nice house, because city records have shown it as vacant lot for decade. But wants you to know she pays her taxes in full   (freep.com) divider line 202
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sirgrim [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 03:23:46 AM  
Be nice to her. $68 is still to much to pay to live in Detroit.

 
unlikely [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 03:25:59 AM  
Let's be fair, even if the records actually showed a full scale replica of Versailles on the property, it's still in Detroit. $68 is probably about right.

 
NewportBarGuy [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 03:42:45 AM  
We are close to open revolt here in swank Newport over property valuations. One house is up $100,000 and three houses down $200,000 (in the same neighborhood), for tax purposes.

I'm sure her neighbors will love this respite from her dutiful obligations. Or, they will burn her house to the farking ground.

Now is not a good time to be enjoying special status from paying your fair share.

"I thought $68 was an honest assessment" ain't gonna fly.

 
Stay Cool Babylon 2009-05-24 04:24:01 AM  
NewportBarGuy: We are close to open revolt here in swank Newport over property valuations. One house is up $100,000 and three houses down $200,000 (in the same neighborhood), for tax purposes.

I'm sure her neighbors will love this respite from her dutiful obligations. Or, they will burn her house to the farking ground.

Now is not a good time to be enjoying special status from paying your fair share.

"I thought $68 was an honest assessment" ain't gonna fly.


This is an extremely common problem. New Orleans had her own assessment fiasco some years back, with the connected having uptown mansions valued at 75k, and the poor schmuck with a derelict shotgun double bleeding from his ass to the tune of 275k. It's one of the most common forms of corruption in local governments everywhere.

 
clueyee [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 04:34:06 AM  
Detroit has valuable property?

 
Goldeneye007 2009-05-24 04:40:48 AM  
Doesn't surprise me that this is happening in detroit, the city is an economic wasteland. former Mayor was recently jailed.

 
Battlestar Girlactica 2009-05-24 04:43:49 AM  
Gee, what a surprise. Someone that is wealthy & in a position of power is taking advantage of the system & tries to claim ignorance when s/he's caught.

 
EL_FABREZ 2009-05-24 04:44:24 AM  
Right response: Is she black? *click* Yeah, surprise surprise.

Left response: There's something in Detroit worth $68?

 
Foaming [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 04:47:01 AM  
Did she pull permits for the work after the "tornado"?

 
OgreMagi 2009-05-24 04:47:32 AM  
EL_FABREZ: Left response: There's something in Detroit worth $68?

Can you blame them? They thought their policies had destroyed everything of value so they were caught off guard when something that was worth something popped up. Now that the lefties know it's there, they'll take care of it.

 
Mike_LowELL [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 04:50:25 AM  
This wouldn't be happening if Palestine would respect Israel's right to exist.

 
NorCalLos 2009-05-24 04:58:09 AM  
This is an extremely common problem. New Orleans had her own assessment fiasco some years back,

I've always wondered how people determine the gender of inanimiate objects when the decide to get all blowhardy about them. I know NOLA doesn't freak out when you get drunk, so I'm curious...how do you know "she" is female?

 
fpage77 2009-05-24 04:58:47 AM  
Mike_LowELL: This wouldn't be happening if Palestine would respect Israel's right to exist.

It's Obama's fault didn't you hear that yet. If a bear craps in the woods it's Obama's fault.

 
if_i_really_have_to 2009-05-24 05:02:40 AM  
That house was valued at $40,000?

You can't get a tin shack in New Zealand for $40,000.

 
panda 2009-05-24 05:03:53 AM  
thevexationman: Surprise surprise, some Detroit negro not paying their taxes

Strictly speaking, she paid what she was billed. I wouldn't ask a lot of questions about low taxes either.
The moral police here are awesome because I bet very few of them were calling their cities each year during the housing bubble saying "Hey, I think my home isn't taxed enough. Could you please re-assess the value and tax me more?"

 
MadSkillz 2009-05-24 05:05:02 AM  
NorCalLos: This is an extremely common problem. New Orleans had her own assessment fiasco some years back,

I've always wondered how people determine the gender of inanimiate objects when the decide to get all blowhardy about them. I know NOLA doesn't freak out when you get drunk, so I'm curious...how do you know "she" is female?


It's because you can do stuff in New Orleans and the city isn't gay. THAT'S why.

 
ambercat 2009-05-24 05:06:57 AM  
Well this is Detroit. Apparently the population there just longs for daily assrape, but fearing the gay, they avoid leather dungeons and truckstops, choosing instead to get it vicariously from the sleazy criminals they elect year after year to help turn their city into a post-apocalyptic wasteland even faster.

The entire region needs some kind of massive intervention. Perhaps from space, with some kind of a nuke. Or Oprah. Take your pick.

 
WildMonkey 2009-05-24 05:09:54 AM  
This biatch has been in more blagrant corruption scandals than anyone in the district. And what will happen to her? NOTHING! "Oops our bad, won't happen again" Yeah right, she'll keep doing the same bullshiat and every farking monkey around her will just clap and woot. Why is she still in power? farking sheeples.

 
NorCalLos 2009-05-24 05:10:37 AM  
MadSkillz: NorCalLos: This is an extremely common problem. New Orleans had her own assessment fiasco some years back,

I've always wondered how people determine the gender of inanimiate objects when the decide to get all blowhardy about them. I know NOLA doesn't freak out when you get drunk, so I'm curious...how do you know "she" is female?

It's because you can do stuff in New Orleans and the city isn't gay. THAT'S why.


I guess that makes a little sense...

 
adeist69 2009-05-24 05:18:25 AM  
ambercat: Well this is Detroit. Apparently the population there just longs for daily assrape, but fearing the gay, they avoid leather dungeons and truckstops, choosing instead to get it vicariously from the sleazy criminals they elect year after year to help turn their city into a post-apocalyptic wasteland even faster.

The entire region needs some kind of massive intervention. Perhaps from space, with some kind of a nuke. Or Oprah. Take your pick.




Dropping Oprah from space onto Detroit? I like the way you think.

 
Wretschko 2009-05-24 05:21:20 AM  
Oh, fark most of you morons...

Bet you're mostly not homeowners either.

None of you homeowners would blink twice if you got this property tax bill amongst all the myriad other bills you have to pay.

Certainly will bet you would never march yourself to the Assessor's Office to say "Hey! I think you're undercharging me for my property!"

Yes, politicians deserve closer scrunity...but pointing out that this particular pol was also black just reinforces the "shiftless negro avoiding responsibility" stereotype, and that was ridiculous.

Yet many of you felt the need to just do so.

/Am a racist (like every other honest person would admit...if you say you're not a racist then you're the worst racist there is, one in denial).
//Embarassed by this stereotyping.

 
bobboman 2009-05-24 05:23:54 AM  
I'd support Droping Oprah into the earth's atmosphere, her and 90% of her diehard fans...hopefully they burn up before they hit anything worth while

 
m_ortl_1 2009-05-24 05:29:22 AM  
Isn't using Oprah a little extreme? I mean, it's Detroit and all, but that's like the using the Tsar Bomba to fight the Somali pirates. Isn't there something in the Geneva Conventions about that?

/is afraid of Oprah
//very afraid...

 
Baron MuchHumpin' 2009-05-24 05:33:10 AM  
Wretschko: None of you homeowners would blink twice if you got this property tax bill amongst all the myriad other bills you have to pay.

Bingo

I have a friend who makes multiple 6 figures and somehow gets a $2.48 electricity bill for his 4000+ sqr/ft house... been paying it for years....

I think it's a riot.. even asked if i could co-locate some servers there ;-)

/no one is going to go out of their way to squander MORE money

 
cirby 2009-05-24 05:36:39 AM  
Wretschko:
None of you homeowners would blink twice if you got this property tax bill amongst all the myriad other bills you have to pay.

I would.

At the very least, I would assume that someone screwed up, and that somewhere down the road, someone else would uncover the screwup - and would want the entire amount I owed in back taxes, plus penalties, plus fines for not reporting it myself.

The same goes for things like bank balances and credit card bills. If you notice a mistake on their part, it's better to tell them yourself than to have them find out much later and assess charges and penalties right when you least expect it. Often, by telling them ahead of time, you can avoid all sorts of future problems, especially with the government.

In the case of the article, if I got an assessment for "vacant lot" on my home, I'd be worried that some idiot bureaucrat would decide that the house had been planned for demolition, and would schedule the work themselves...

 
IamKaiserSoze!!! [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 05:37:22 AM  
EL_FABREZ: Right response: Is she black? *click* Yeah, surprise surprise.

Left response: There's something in Detroit worth $68?


Correct response: Voters get what they deserve. She'll get a pass.

 
Moopy Mac 2009-05-24 05:41:53 AM  
Baron MuchHumpin': Wretschko: None of you homeowners would blink twice if you got this property tax bill amongst all the myriad other bills you have to pay.

Bingo

I have a friend who makes multiple 6 figures and somehow gets a $2.48 electricity bill for his 4000+ sqr/ft house... been paying it for years....

I think it's a riot.. even asked if i could co-locate some servers there ;-)

/no one is going to go out of their way to squander MORE money


Does he drive a Lexis?

 
Baron MuchHumpin' 2009-05-24 05:46:08 AM  
Moopy Mac: Does he drive a Lexis?

I think his girlfriend's name is Debbie

He's more into SUVs for vehicles.. he's got the $$ so why not...

 
thevexationman 2009-05-24 05:46:32 AM  
Moopy Mac: Baron MuchHumpin': Wretschko: None of you homeowners would blink twice if you got this property tax bill amongst all the myriad other bills you have to pay.

Bingo

I have a friend who makes multiple 6 figures and somehow gets a $2.48 electricity bill for his 4000+ sqr/ft house... been paying it for years....

I think it's a riot.. even asked if i could co-locate some servers there ;-)

/no one is going to go out of their way to squander MORE money

Does he drive a Lexis?


It's called a Lexus, you classless goon.

 
Britney Spear's Speculum 2009-05-24 06:13:56 AM  
She sounds black....


now off to RTFA

 
HONDOWAYNE 2009-05-24 06:14:34 AM  
Let me guess,,, she`s BLACK too,,,

 
Bomb Head Mohammed 2009-05-24 06:16:03 AM  
MuchHumpin': He's more into SUVs for vehicles.. he's got the $$ so why not...

In europe, this would be an obvious troll. Unfortunately, in the USA (and in very immature new consumer places like the former USSR and China), this is what passes for sound reasoning. "If you got the $$$ why not." Mind-boggling.

 
Baron MuchHumpin' 2009-05-24 06:18:37 AM  
Bomb Head Mohammed: In europe, this would be an obvious troll. Unfortunately, in the USA (and in very immature new consumer places like the former USSR and China), this is what passes for sound reasoning. "If you got the $$$ why not." Mind-boggling.

You sound poor

 
dancar71 2009-05-24 06:18:55 AM  
The problem is, the good folks of Detroit will gladly re - elect her to office.

 
Evilmogwai 2009-05-24 06:24:13 AM  
cirby: Wretschko:
None of you homeowners would blink twice if you got this property tax bill amongst all the myriad other bills you have to pay.

I would.

At the very least, I would assume that someone screwed up, and that somewhere down the road, someone else would uncover the screwup - and would want the entire amount I owed in back taxes, plus penalties, plus fines for not reporting it myself.

The same goes for things like bank balances and credit card bills. If you notice a mistake on their part, it's better to tell them yourself than to have them find out much later and assess charges and penalties right when you least expect it. Often, by telling them ahead of time, you can avoid all sorts of future problems, especially with the government..



I agree. I did exactly the same when I got my pay slip this month and found I'd been paid too much sick pay (should have been 3 days and was 6).

I didn't want that coming back in three months time or whatever so I let my line manager know. They insist it is correct but I have now done my duty and know it won't come back to bite me in three months time.

 
daychilde [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 06:31:50 AM  
Wretschko: Oh, fark most of you morons...

Bet you're mostly not homeowners either.

None of you homeowners would blink twice if you got this property tax bill amongst all the myriad other bills you have to pay.

Certainly will bet you would never march yourself to the Assessor's Office to say "Hey! I think you're undercharging me for my property!"


In fact, I am a homeowner. And if my property bill suddenly dropped from the four-figure amount down to two figures, I'd certainly notice, and inquire about it.

Only dumbasses wouldn't. Has nobody seen the articles about people who suddenly owe huge huge bills because they didn't take care of tiny bills they should have known were way the hell too small?

No sympathy for that - if the amount was reasonable. $68 property taxes? That's BS.

 
daychilde [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 06:32:45 AM  
cirby: I would.

Meh, you were on the second page for me, and I couldn't resist replying immediately, so lemme just say: MEGATHIS. hehe

 
Without Fail 2009-05-24 06:33:14 AM  
EL_FABREZ: Racist response: Is she black? *click* Yeah, surprise surprise.

Left response: There's something in Detroit worth $68?


/Now with improved accuracy!

 
daychilde [TotalFark] 2009-05-24 06:33:53 AM  
Evilmogwai: it won't
come back to bite me in three months time.


Documentation, Documentation, Documentation.... As long as you have it. :D

 
dancar71 2009-05-24 06:40:04 AM  
I bet it was all Bush's fault. How many of those crooked Republicans are running Detroit?? Look at the State of Michigan. Those Republicans are just ruining the whole country!!

 
Sid Deuces 2009-05-24 06:56:16 AM  
Let her have her cake and eat it too.
Or maybe she should just eat it.

/her picture would suggest she enjoys cake,very much and often.

 
panda 2009-05-24 06:56:42 AM  
Remove all Republicans: I wonder who would notify the reporter about this situation? It seems pretty random.

On Sept. 29, for example, Watson was the only council member to vote against a tax break for General Motors Corp. in return for building the Chevrolet Volt at its Poletown assembly plant.

Huh, looks like someone is spending their bailout money well. The real question is who is leaking information about the property tax bills of private individuals? She needs to lead that investigation immediately.


You might be kidding, but property tax bills are a matter of public record.

 
ambercat 2009-05-24 06:56:46 AM  
m_ortl_1: Isn't using Oprah a little extreme? I mean, it's Detroit and all, but that's like the using the Tsar Bomba to fight the Somali pirates. Isn't there something in the Geneva Conventions about that?

/is afraid of Oprah
//very afraid...


Too extreme? But....WON'T SOMEBODY PLEASE THINK OF THE RATINGS?! It could be her biggest episode yet!

 
cantsleep 2009-05-24 07:02:12 AM  
You guys with the race baiting should just stop. Her race is unimportant. A politician of any color can be crooked.

 
thelordofcheese 2009-05-24 07:14:40 AM  
I used to work in the county assessment office so I was very bored for 35 hours a week.

/and stoned
//why, yes, I've taken cannabis into the courthouse before

 
Cauchy_Riemann_equations 2009-05-24 07:25:28 AM  
Baron MuchHumpin': I have a friend who makes multiple 6 figures and somehow gets a $2.48 electricity bill for his 4000+ sqr/ft house... been paying it for years....

I hope he's banking the difference. When/if the electric company finds out they will go after him for the real value. It could be 10,000s of dollars.

 
castufari 2009-05-24 07:37:37 AM  
This happened to me in the late 90s. Bill went way down. I called twice, they said everything was fine. I put the money into savings. Next year, boom, I get a letter telling me that I owe nearly 4500.00 in taxes and penalties. I called, told them when I called (gave names, dates, times). After 2 months of dicking around and having them threaten to put a lien on my house they dropped my bill to what I actually owed.

 
x23 2009-05-24 07:45:08 AM  
this happened to me... sort of.

when i bought my house the borough sent me a letter asking me how much i paid. my friend clued me into the fact that even though the letter sounds very official it was 100% optional. by not ever responding to it they never knew what i actually paid. so it was up to them to actually have someone come by and do an updated assessment.

my property taxes were based on the house value from 10 years ago before it was even remotely redone... at one point i think the house was purple as well. so the value was $37,000 and the taxes were basically free. (plus if you sign a form saying you live there they knock $10k off the taxed amount.)

after 5 years they actually had a guy drive by and do an assessment. i had *just* left the house to run a quick errand and left the curtains open... so they were able to look in the windows as well. damn it.

taxes went up 450% or something.

they could've done an assessment at any other time in those 5 years. and they didn't... i certainly wasn't going to volunteer any additional information if i didn't have to. especially when it was optional to begin with.

 
Treetop1000 2009-05-24 07:57:50 AM  
Oh come on, somebody gis up the neighborhood streetview...
I want to see what the 'hood looks like.
just curious

 
Life_is_a_carnivore 2009-05-24 08:02:13 AM  
Detroit City Council is SO filthy.

Thanks for the legacy, Coleman. They just keep on stealin'.

 
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