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SCHENECTADY
Collections firm forecloses on 2 places of worship over taxes
BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter

    The saga over how to forgive a dozen nonprofits that were taxed by the city has now reached a new low.
    A tax collection company has foreclosed on two places of worship, one of which is the main Hindu temple in Schenectady. The other is a church on the corner of Craig and Albany streets.
    In the latter case, American Tax Funding arrived with sheriff’s deputies during the church service to lock out the owners.
    In the case of the Schenectady Hindu Temple, ATF did not take the deed, allowing the Hindus to keep worshipping. But real estate agents have arrived during worship services to show the building to potential buyers.
    “It create a little unrest, make people feel a little uneasy,” temple Chairman Deryck Singh said. “I’m confident the city will work some- thing out with ATF.”
    Others aren’t so confi dent. One woman, speaking anonymously because the temple leaders had not authorized her to speak, said members have openly discussed what they could do if the building is taken away.
    “Everyone is on the edge,” she said. “We don’t want to lose this building. This building is our second home. And we don’t have a plan B, to buy another building. We don’t have the money.”
    Paying the taxes is also not possible, members said. As of last year, the temple owed $61,000 in taxes, interest and fees.
    The foreclosures have also sent a frisson of fear through the rest of the nonprofit community. The First Unitarian Society of Schenectady and The Schenectady Civic Players are among the many who also face foreclosure, and some Unitarians said they now fear that ATF will take their building at any moment.
    City officials have been negotiating with ATF for years about the situation, which began when former Assessor Patrick Mastro decided to tax all nonprofits that did not file their annual not-for-profi t statement.
    That filing is, at times, the only way the assessor has found out that a nonprofit is no longer using its building — which means it goes back on the tax roll, even if the nonprofit still owns it.
    But in 2007, a dozen active nonprofits also failed to file, and Mastro did not check to see if they were still in operation. He taxed them all. When they got the bills, most of them ignored them, assuming it was an error.
    By the time they realized how serious their situation was, their taxes were more than a year overdue. They went to the City Council, which by law cannot forgive taxes.
    Then they went to the state Legislature, which passed special resolutions allowing the council to retroactively declare most of the nonprofits tax exempt.
    In the meantime, the city sold its delinquent tax liens to a private tax collector. The nonprofi ts’ liens were sold with every other property.
    Suddenly, the council no longer had the power to fix the situation. Instead of a retroactive declaration, the city would have to buy back the liens, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes and interest to ATF in return for the liens.
    City officials balked. They began to negotiate a swap of tax liens instead. But ATF didn’t like the liens the city was willing to offer, and negotiations bogged down.
    Finally, ATF decided to start foreclosing.
    ATF officials did not return calls seeking comment last week. Mayor Gary McCarthy said he believed ATF was trying to push the city to offer a better deal.
    “They’re using some of the religious institutions to create political pressure,” he said.
    But he said he responded by telling ATF that if it takes any buildings, he will require it to bring those buildings up to code. .......................>>>>......................>>>>......................http://www.dailygazette.net/De.....r00903&AppName=1

Brought to you by "Friends" of McCarthy!     More wheels rocketing off the bus.  

Maybe in stead if Police and Firemen we should have church and clergy help sell homes......don't see that happening for a long time!

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Mayor Gary McCarthy said he believed ATF was trying to push the city to offer a better deal.
    “They’re using some of the religious institutions to create political pressure,” he said.
    But he said he responded by telling ATF that if it takes any buildings, he will require it to bring those buildings up to code.

So non-profits don't have to keep their buildings 'up to code'?

Quoted from bumblethru

So non-profits don't have to keep their buildings 'up to code'?

Exactly.  He loves to run his trapjaw like mouth.  This one is gonna be fun to watch since the Council told all those Nonprofits they had nothing to worry about.  They didnt even have the authority to make the promises.

Quoted from bumblethru

So non-profits don't have to keep their buildings 'up to code'?

Exactly.  He loves to run his trapjaw like mouth.  This one is gonna be fun to watch since the Council told all those Nonprofits they had nothing to worry about.  They didnt even have the authority to make the promises.

So shame on Gary McCarthy and the code enforcers for turning a blind eye to non-profits who have 'admitted by the mayor himself' code violations.
And now Gary McCarthy will use it as blatant black mail???

imho

They only owed back to 2007?

What about the pair that owned the Foster Hotel Bldg??????     WHY did the dems NEVER take that buidling for delinquent taxes?????    Why did the DEMS INSTEAD, REWARD that pair with GIVING them a whoppping QUARTER OF A MILLION DOLLARS of money STOLEN from the financially struggling taxpaying homeonwers in the city ??????????????????????????   AND why did the DEMS then absolve this pair from paying their delinquent taxes?????      They owe back taxes throughout the city but the DEMS REFUSED to withhold (from payment to them) the amount they owed in back taxes?????????????????

And of course we all know the "big" landlord who has been behind in taxes much much longer than 5 years, the city dems have NEVER taken his places for back taxes!    WHY NOT?????  

Look one of the groups is that Schdy civic players, a TRUE non-profit, and the dems have the nerve to not want to overlook that little groupo but the dems allow a big $26 million dollar theater which MAKES BIG BIG TIME PROFIT to avoid paying taxes  by declaring it a "not-for-profit" even though there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about Proctors that makes it a non-profit?

What is wrong with the dems????????????

Hard to believe the sheriff would seize a church for taxes when they are tax exempt- BUT HE DID!

They are obviously selectively enforcing the rules.  That is not moral or ethical.  They probably have excuses but it isn't legal.  

Where can we get a list of the tax delinquent properties that haven't been sold to ATF?

Quoted Text

  City officials have been negotiating with ATF for years about the situation, which began when former Assessor Patrick Mastro decided to tax all nonprofits that did not file their annual not-for-profi t statement.
    That filing is, at times, the only way the assessor has found out that a nonprofit is no longer using its building — which means it goes back on the tax roll, even if the nonprofit still owns it.
    But in 2007, a dozen active nonprofits also failed to file, and Mastro did not check to see if they were still in operation. He taxed them all. When they got the bills, most of them ignored them, assuming it was an error.
    By the time they realized how serious their situation was, their taxes were more than a year overdue. They went to the City Council, which by law cannot forgive taxes.
    Then they went to the state Legislature, which passed special resolutions allowing the council to retroactively declare most of the nonprofits tax exempt.
    In the meantime, the city sold its delinquent tax liens to a private tax collector. The nonprofits’ liens were sold with every other property.
    

It boils down to responsibility!!! Non-profits KNOW that they must file yearly for their non-profit status.....but they didn't!! When they received their tax bill, they should have called and questioned it then instead of just ignoring it.

Sorry.....Rules are rules for EVERYONE......no?

Personally............I take issue with the building being out of code.........not addressing it...........and then using it as 'blackmail'.

imho

Quoted from bumblethru

It boils down to responsibility!!! Non-profits KNOW that they must file yearly for their non-profit status.....but they didn't!! When they received their tax bill, they should have called and questioned it then instead of just ignoring it.

Sorry.....Rules are rules for EVERYONE......no?

Personally............I take issue with the building being out of code.........not addressing it...........and then using it as 'blackmail'.

imho

It's my opinion too Bumble. If you don't file your paperwork for your non-profit, guess what, you're not a non-profit anymore in the eyes of the law. And in Schenectady, you better be ready for incompetence on top of that!

Love it how Moore says "has hit an all time low"...really, this is a new low? Compared to shutting off water and garbage services for Popolizio's tenants? This isn't a low, this is par for the course.

Again, McCarthy has complete distain for people in Schenectady. He's proven it with his rubber-stamped budgets, $3 million dollar golf course plan, water/garbage plan and taking his pension on top of a huge mayoral salary. He's just a career politician with little interest in those he 'serves'.    

Quoted from bumblethru

It boils down to responsibility!!! Non-profits KNOW that they must file yearly for their non-profit status.....but they didn't!! When they received their tax bill, they should have called and questioned it then instead of just ignoring it.

Sorry.....Rules are rules for EVERYONE......no?

Personally............I take issue with the building being out of code.........not addressing it...........and then using it as 'blackmail'.

imho

There is of course truth to what you say about rules, etc.   Yes, they should have called and questioned when they got their tax bill.   Actually, if they were paying a mortgage, they probebly may not have received a tax bill, it could have gone to the bank which would have understood that they were exempt and the bank then didn't pay.   The story doesn't say exactly what the details were in that regard.

However, why is it the rules are rules not for everyone?    Proctors IS CLEARLY a FOR PROFIT business, it does NOT provide services to the poor and it's leader makes a lavish salary.   But the dems in the city make them an NFP so that they don't have to pay taxes?    But they can go after a small little volunteer theater because of an oversight?

And the dems can go after these NFP's and go to take their buildings, but for those big time tax delinquent absentee landlords with properties riddled with code violations, the rules for them are different?

Yeah, how about the city dems tell us if the taxpayers in the city have been reimbursed for the cost of demolition to Popolizio's building

Quoted from mikechristine1

There is of course truth to what you say about rules, etc.   Yes, they should have called and questioned when they got their tax bill.   Actually, if they were paying a mortgage, they probebly may not have received a tax bill, it could have gone to the bank which would have understood that they were exempt and the bank then didn't pay.   The story doesn't say exactly what the details were in that regard.

However, why is it the rules are rules not for everyone?    Proctors IS CLEARLY a FOR PROFIT business, it does NOT provide services to the poor and it's leader makes a lavish salary.   But the dems in the city make them an NFP so that they don't have to pay taxes?    But they can go after a small little volunteer theater because of an oversight?

And the dems can go after these NFP's and go to take their buildings, but for those big time tax delinquent absentee landlords with properties riddled with code violations, the rules for them are different?

Yeah, how about the city dems tell us if the taxpayers in the city have been reimbursed for the cost of demolition to Popolizio's building

I agree........ Because of the incompetence of the city leaders, they no longer have a say in the matter........yes? It is now in the hands of ATF. But dontcha love how moore spins it as ................'reached a new low'????? And dontcha love how Gary McCarthy is using 'his lack of enforcing code violations' as black mail??? Ya just can't make this stuff up!

But bottom line is that non-profits KNOW they are to fill out yearly paper work. And from what the article states..........this non-profit DID receive tax info in the mail that they chose to ignore.

Quoted from mikechristine1

There is of course truth to what you say about rules, etc.   Yes, they should have called and questioned when they got their tax bill.   Actually, if they were paying a mortgage, they probebly may not have received a tax bill, it could have gone to the bank which would have understood that they were exempt and the bank then didn't pay.   The story doesn't say exactly what the details were in that regard.

The interesting thing I found is that alot of the bigger banks dont even get a copy of the tax bill.  They receive the request to pay electronically.  I found this out when a fine for my neighbors garbage cans being left out made it to the tax bill which I referenced 6 months later doing my taxes.  I also never received the citation.  I called the bank to get a copy of the tax bill and they said they didnt have it.  Called the city, they said they sent it to the bank but later printed it for me after I explained why the bank didnt have it.  

Moral of the story.  Get your tax bills often and early.  

This is from the M&T Bank.

Why is my account being analyzed?
When will my account be analyzed next?
Why did my payment go up?
I have an escrow shortage, what does that mean?
How will the escrow shortage be collected?
If I want to pay off the escrow shortage, where do I send my payment?
Where should I mail my insurance bill?
Where can I get a copy of my tax bill?
Since M&T Bank pays most tax bills using electronic information, you should contact your local tax office for a copy of your tax bill.

Quoted from TakingItBack

Exactly.  He loves to run his trapjaw like mouth.  This one is gonna be fun to watch since the Council told all those Nonprofits they had nothing to worry about.  They didnt even have the authority to make the promises.

Just like the "promise" for the vacant council seat.