Article Title: Embezzlement Epidemic: Big thievery in tiny Ira
Link to Article: http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20110522/NEWS02/110521006/Embezzlement-Epidemic-Big-thievery-tiny-Ira
Here below is my letter to the Burlington Free Press that they would not publish.
It is comment #41 on the above article.
my letter posted 05/24/2011 but censored by the free press...(letter written below is by mary gerdt)
This is a good day to talk about Vermont property tax reform. Small towns are full of history and also bias and personal relationships. Take a Statewide property tax, add confusing, bizarre rules, mix in greed, incremental graft. Then when a citizen tries to fight, put up roadblocks like $10,000 retainer fees, being told "you can't fight city hall, it's not like Perry Mason where the perp breaks down on the stand". The governor on down is powerless to affect the delinquent tax policy and delinquent tax penalties and sales. Even though I believe many aspects are unconstitutional, no one seems to be able to grasp the concept because it has always been like that. Delinquent property taxes are cloaked in shame. WHY?? The Secretray of State has a lovely website about property tax sales but there is no enforcement. Each town decides. Our town foreclosed on us after being 9 months late paying $8,000 (one year tax on our 100 year family farm plus penalties, legal fees for the town,etc...no abatement offered, I as the wife/owner was never notified.). The sale was averted, as I told a friend, by God. Ever since, my faith has been tested. This article gives me faith. A feel good story to me. Wake up Vermonters. When my property was picked to be sold, was I treated differently than this embezzlers friends? Is that discrimination? preferential treatment?
What was so controversial about that letter?
I have tried to start another blog on the burington free press site. It is de-motivational because after several months they are still evaluating my site and now they do not want to hear my rant even though some comments looked less appropriate. Will have to write the author of this article.
maybe the concept was lost on him......
OMgoodness that's just wrong! How could they not post your comment, I don't understand their reasoning for doing this to you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mary, It is said that Vermont is a small town. Newspapers makes money from delinquent tax sales, powerful people buy cheap property, little people suffer. I emailed the author of the article. He possibly disbelieves the town would sell us out after 9 months. No one else believes it but it happened. Time for this to stop. Thanks for stopping by Mary, Have a great day!!
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