November 10, 2010

City seeks permission to offer tax amnesties

City leaders are seeking the right to offer tax amnesties to property owners who have fallen behind on their taxes.
Mayor Art Ward said Tuesday the change, which needs state approval, would create “another vehicle we could use in lessening the amount of delinquent taxes.”
City councilors unanimously endorsed the request that lawmakers representing Bristol in the General Assembly push to change state statutes so that municipalities could lower the amount of interest and penalties that delinquents must pay.
The mayor said state legislators can set whatever conditions they desire, but opening the door to reducing the bills that some people have piled up might help get more taxes paid.
The city’s tax collector, Teresa Babon, said that about $2.5 million worth of this year’s property taxes wasn’t paid – not much different than most years. She said that aggressive pursuit of unpaid bills probably helped keep the number down despite tough times. Click here for the full story.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com

26 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who cares who "made the motion"? I'm sure the moron who made the motion only half-understood what he's doing anyway. Par for the course for him.

Anonymous said...

Art, forgive all the delinquent taxes and you won't have any.

But then, the city will end up like the business you had, which went under.

Anonymous said...

7:26

Is it Ward that yoyu are talking about?

question said...

chairman of a committee can't make a motion anyhow, can they?

yuyo said...

11:49 - no, it is probrably yoyu - yuk, yuk

Anonymous said...

1:03

But clearly you are not sure, are you?

Anonymous said...

11:49 AM:

Uh...no. That's not who I was talking about. Try again. I know you get easily confused, but try reading the comment again, S-L-O-W-L-Y.

Anonymous said...

Is this the same council that is booting cars? Seems more like they should have started with an amnesty program.

Anonymous said...

Bristol in need of real leadership all the way around.

Anonymous said...

BRISTOL will never survive with the stupid people nrunning our departments. No politians to even question their mistakes. This tells us we have a problem. In NOVEMBER changes are sure to come.

Anonymous said...

Amnesty for some, the "boot" for others? I think the city should hire the "boot" guys to put lock boxes on the doorknobs of homeowners with delinquent residential taxes. Surely this must be as legal and ethical as "the boot." What a bunch of heartless idiots.

Anonymous said...

Dont tell me our city leaders know what their doing. They have other problems they cant fix in city hall and their starting another project. Steve whats going on with the police dept and why isnt the Chief held responsible. Whos responsible for MAIN ST SCREW UPS. This news is important.

Anonymous said...

These people just keep trying to make more noise. They should try solving some of the messes they have not start new ones.

Anonymous said...

Maybe Stortz wasn't so bad after all

Anonymous said...

Yes Stortz was one of the worst and could not keep a job stacking cans at stop & shop. He did not deserve to have rocks thrown at his house. However time will show he and Arty were the worst and that we do need a real manager in the near future!

Anonymous said...

No one answers to whats going on in BRISTOL with all the mistakes being made why is it.

Anonymous said...

12:36 PM: Wrong and wrong again...The citizens of Bristol have already rejected the city manager concept, and Art is doing a great job...although I do have to agree with you about Stortz.

Anonymous said...

12:36

Say what you want, Stortz wouldn't letting all this crap happen.
And if he had been allowed to select the downtown committe as Couture had been, we would be further along.

mmmmmmmmmmmmm said...

4:39 - in who's mind?

Anonymous said...

8:56:

The poster didn't say he wanted a "city manager". He or she conveyed that he or she thinks we need a "manager". that would be someone who wasn't just say a stay at home mom with a part time job schmoozing the NB chamber, a cop, a fireman or a failed bar business owner. *just a thought*
Perhaps someonw with some real worls managerial experience.

Anonymous said...

8:56

If you think Art is doing a great job, thene we are in trouble.

Actually, we are already.
Art is giving away the store to get votes.

Anonymous said...

I hear that Art is providing an awful lot of amnesty to those that ask for it.

Is that legal?

Is there a record of that?

Steve Collins said...

The mayor has no legal authority to offer any amnesty. The whole point here is that he's asking the state to let cities offer some sort of tax amnesty program. For now, there is none.

Anonymous said...

Steve, I heard that he was making individual deals.

Any way to check on that?

Anonymous said...

4:49 PM/9:53 PM:

Please do us all a favor and check the facts, try to educate yourself on the process, and most importantly, please save your silly hearsay and gossip for bingo night with your cronies. Thanks!

Anonymous said...

1:00

The media is in a better position to check and repport the facts.

I have been stonewalled in the past, and/or received no response.