Just before 4 p.m. this afternoon Cheryl Hentz faxed this letter over to City Hall and requested that it be distributed in tomorrow's packet going out to City Council members.
January 26, 2006
Open Letter to the Mayor William Castle and the Members of the Oshkosh Common Council:
I think we all agree taxes should be paid, whether we like them or agree with them or not. Also, some of you have been outspoken about pursuing those who owe the State of Wisconsin money in unpaid income taxes. I hope that you will also agree that here in Oshkosh we should be just as vigilant and aggressive in collecting unpaid property taxes.
As you may be aware, Ben Ganther and his partners in the 100 block of North Main Street are still more than $100,000 delinquent in paying their 2004 property taxes, despite previous promises to the city and in the media to have the debt paid in full by September of 2005. Clearly, that has not happened, according to the city’s own web site. There also has not been anything paid on the 2005 property taxes for this parcel, just as an aside note.
I don’t need to remind any of you that this property is in a TIF district, so when the taxes don’t get paid, it would make sense to say that we are not getting the TIF paid off either. But whatever the various nuances and mechanics of this are, the simple fact remains that this is a man who is given a lot of business from the city and, many of us believe, a lot of preferential treatment. I want to see that the taxes this city is owed are collected. Therefore I am asking the following of you individually and collectively as a Common Council, representing this community and her people at large:
I would implore you and your fellow council members to (1) see that this delinquency is resolved immediately or instruct the city to file suit against Ben Ganther and his partners in this project for the full outstanding debt they owe, plus interest and penalties and legal costs; (2) to adhere to the city ordinance [Chapter 4, Sec. 4-6(A)] and not issue a liquor license for this property until the past due taxes are paid in full; and finally (3) to bring an immediate halt to the City of Oshkosh doing business with Ganther Construction on projects where any public funds are involved, until such time as his taxes are current. Frankly, I think that is a policy that should be established and maintained, no matter who the contractor is.
This situation is an insult and an outrage and, I believe, that to not honor the above requests would be to thumb the “city council nose” at every decent and hardworking taxpayer in this community. I am asking you to do the right thing. Thank you!
Cheryl Hentz
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3 comments:
I thank Mr. Doster for his complimenting Tony and I on our work. I would also like to invite people to vote in a new poll on the Eye on Oshkosh web site, asking whether various taxing authorities should continue giving contracts to contractors who owe us mony. Click on my name highlighted in blue above and it will lead you to the site's home page where you can see the poll on the far right side.
Who are the other members of Mr. Ganther's group.
Check with the Department of Financial Institutions. Or better yet, maybe Ben Ganther would like to tell us.
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