Detroit Still Sending Tax Notices 15 Years After Company Closed

http://www.michigancapitolconfidential.com/19193 ^

[4rcane]

City wants money for fire permits, gas storage, building occupancy and awnings for long-abandoned business

The abandoned property at 8007 Joy Road before it was demolished. Most business owners regret that time of year when taxes are due. But how would you feel if the government was still requesting money more than a decade after the company had closed?

That's what has been happening to a couple of former Detroit residents. Rose Bogaert and her husband operated a metal straightening company, Detroit Straightening Services Inc., for 28 years. They said high taxes and low services from Detroit eventually forced them to close.

The couple no longer owns the building. Rose said she thinks the city took it over and demolished it.

[Mr. K]

What a mess...

If only someone would invent something called a ‘computer’ that would keep track of things

And people smart enough to run them who work for the city, instead everyone’s friends and relatives.

I worked for a county once, when I quit in disgust they literally hired cousin Jeffrey from the parks department to replace me. The guy was mowing lawns on Friday and writing software on Monday- I had to show him how to turn the computer on.

[4rcane]

I have a feeling that some hoaxers that work at the tax office are sending out fake tax notices to scam ppl out of their money. The tax office can’t be this incompetently run, could it?!?!

[nvscanman]

While it is a scam it’s probably not a hoax....and never attribute
to deliberation that which can be explained by incompetence.....
especially when it’s government involved.

[Netz]

Obama should have applied his RESET with Russia and his “Soft-Power” foreign policy to Detroit. It is an absolute waste of time and money debating the future of the city.
Bulldozers and Robocops should move in and level the place, even though it looks like Berlin and Nagoya in August 1945.

The government should create a 1930’s era WPA and send thousands of Detroit's residents in waves to plant trees until such time they figure out what to do with the city. That will cost some money but the program should be disbanded after 1 full year.
Let the trees grow and Detroit return to her forested splendor circa 1740.

When they get their act together, (sometime in 2085) then they can begin building again...

[FreedomGuru]

“If only someone would invent something called a ‘computer’ that would keep track of things”

The computers were appropriated and sold on Ebay, or out of the trunk of their government supplied car.

[Gaffer]

I’ve had people in the past call me about some ‘bill’ etc.

I ALWAYS tell them to provide me proof of the original bill, proof of where legal right has been signed over to them, and to send me a certified copy of the document that has my signature on it and I will respond.

[SES1066]

The tax office can’t be this incompetently run, could it?!?!

You do realize that we are talking about Detroit, the FORMER Motor City, the same one that has been under one party control since before JFK died. So do you want to rethink this?

Actually, I think that they probably have a mimeograph list dating from 20 years ago to dunn for back taxes. Who knows, some poor shlub may actually pay it!

[Outraged Infidel]

It sounds like they didn’t let them know that they had closed the business.

[Bender2]

I got one for y'all— My late mother lived in an apartment for the last 28 years of her life and for 26 of those years just about every three or four months came a letter from the county tax authority demanding payment of back property taxes from a Wanda Hendrix (name changed just to be “Dragnetish’ about it) whose address being taxed was listed as the same as my Mom's apartment #103.

Being the dutiful good son, the very first letter I took myself down to the office of the country tax authority and told them that there was not any Wanda Hendrix (name changed just to still be “Dragnetish’ about it) living in my mother's apartment and, according to the apartment manager, had never lived there in the 30 some odd years since the place was built.

The secretary there apologized for the mistake and said it would be taken care of right away. I asked, just out of curiosity, why is the county tax authority asking for back taxes from this Wanda Hendrix (name changed to stay “Dragnetish’ about it) on an apartment that is rented, not owned and that she apparently never lived in?

The reply was, sorry, cannot go into that due to privacy concerns.

Anywho, the letters never stopped. The next one I even tried the local telephone directory to find if this elusive Wanda Hendrix (name changed to remain “Dragnetish’ about it) lived in my hometown. There was no listing for her, not even close. And after two more visits to the county taxing authority and never getting passed the secretary or any type of satisfactory explanation, I let bygones be bygone— The letter were always marked ‘Return to Sender - Addressee Not Here, Nor Has Every Been Here’ and stuck back into the outgoing mail slot.

Lastly, about six month or so ago and better than ten years after my mother passed on, the local paper here had an Obituary Notice for Wanda Hendrix (name changed to conclude being “Dragnetish’ about it) who passed away at age 101 in a local nursing home. The obit said all her relations had passed on before her. Intrigued, I called the nursing home and while citing privacy concerns, they did admit she had been there for the past 30 years but could not tell me more.

Okay, just one more mystery of life that shows what goes around comes back around... and even asking for the facts, just the fact won't get you squat— Especially when dealing with government stupidity of the highest caliber

[rawhide]

Found your Wanda Hendrix:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Hendrix

[IMR 4350]

Tax fraud scheme, and it’s rampant all over the US even here in Texas.

Been there done that.

I actually had my property seized by the court when a school district took a judgment against the former owner of the property.

Since the former owner hadn’t owned the property for years they never bothered to serve him and notify him there was a lawsuit.

They couldn’t get a judgment against me because I had receipts showing the taxes had been paid.

Since there was no judgment against me I was never notified of any kind of judgment and was completely unaware until the property was seized by the court.

100% fraud.

The Texas supreme court in all it’s wisdom decided I was responsible for stopping the fraud before the property was seized.

In other words, I and all other taxpayers are now responsible for stopping the school districts/govt from committing the fraud before the school districts/govt has committing fraud.

Once the fraud has been committed it’s too late to take any action.

[robowombat]

The couple no longer owns the building. Rose said she thinks the city took it over and demolished it.

Google street view shows the intersection of the 8000 block with a barroom and
American Auto Recyclers’ scrap yard on one side and a large fenced empty lot and another empty lot and a derelict manufacturing building. Interestingly there are some well kept houses nearby.

[longtermmemmory]

think of the movie “idiocracy” and the employees at “st god’s hospital” or the “costco greeters”.

Low information voters with patronage jobs.

[COBOL2Java]

I worked for a county once, when I quit in disgust they literally hired cousin Jeffrey from the parks department to replace me. The guy was mowing lawns on Friday and writing software on Monday- I had to show him how to turn the computer on.

So HE's the one who build the ObamaCare website!

[COBOL2Java]

And Wanda still votes Democrat...

[Bender2]

Re: Found your Wanda Hendrix: and more info at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanda_Hendrix

Yeah, raw, you smoked me out... you evidently aged devil.

I purposely used Wanda’ name to see if there were any old farts like me on Free Republic who remembered her as that really sweet honey who starred with Tyrone Power in the 1949 film Prince of Foxes and 1950 film Sierra with Audie Murphy. She had a brief marriage with Audie and always spoke well of him and in sympathy to his ‘black moods’ and ‘combat flashback’ episodes.

Gadzooks! Wanda was one of the early crushes of my youth and I think when I finally grow up... one of these years and invent a practical time machine, I'm going back and pick up her after she leave Murph—

From Prince of Foxes... with Ty--

And with Audie... and Dead Jagger in Sierra.

Lastly, what was left after... she ran up on a cheetah--

Okay, all you animal rights folk, in Wanda's defense... Robert Montgomery was driving!

If there are any red Xs above go to http://www.doctormacro.com/Images/Hendrix,%20Wanda/Annex/Annex%20-%20Hendrix,%20Wanda%20%28Prince%20of%20Foxes%29_03.jpg or http://i1.sell.com/u/7F/7M/12148392-m.jpg or http://www.bellazon.com/main/uploads/monthly_10_2011/post-37737-1319516896.jpg or http://acertaincinema.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/wanda-hendrix-on-robert-montgomery-s-new-scooter.jpg

[Kevmo]

OK, I’ll bump the thread here before my blood boils.

[Rummyfan]

Prince of Foxes is one of my all-time favorites.

[Liberty Valance]

*bimp*