How would you feel if a county property Tax Collector charged $77,300 to find your address where they have been sending mails for over a decade and your address has never changed?
Likely not good! Based on the following California Revenue & Taxation Code, San Bernardino County Tax Collector charged me $77,300 for finding my address and sending mails.
RTC LINK: http://www.boe.ca.gov/...
Well, how about this? You have made every single property tax payments for 5 years in a row. Suddenly an unpaid bills appeared from 5 years ago!!! Realizing that there must have been a mistake at somewhere. You ask for the removal of penalties so you can pay your taxes.
Now, how would you feel if you were to get the following response from Tax Collector? “The tax collector is unable to approve your request for a waiver of penalties under California Revenue and Taxation Code 4985.2, as the assessed penalties did not result from an error on the part of the Tax Collector.”
Here is the code Tax Collector is interpreting from. RTC 4985.2. “Any penalty, costs, or other charges resulting from tax delinquency may be canceled by the auditor or the tax collector upon a finding of any of the following:
a) Failure to make a timely payment is due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the taxpayer’s control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care in the absence of willful neglect,… ”
What I am understanding from the above code is some protection for taxpayer. What Tax Collector is understanding from this code is that this code gives Tax Collector the right and protection to abuse taxpayer.
Sacramento, we have a problem! It is a problem when tax collector either does not understand the Taxation Codes or simply abuse them intentionally.
Late fees and penalties must not reach over 15 times of the original tax amount. That is almost twice the amount of what you have paid in 5 years combined..
For one missed payment, should the Tax Assessor be able to charge an amount EQUAL to almost what you would have paid in eight to 10 years?
Founding fathers thought this kind of potential abuse by government branches and put it in our constitution to protect general public. Here is what the 8th Amendment says about it, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted…”
When something like this happens to even one of us, do you feel like your constitutional rights violated and do something about it? Here is your chance, please support this petition: https://www.credomobilize.com/...
I am not sure if a Tax Assessor swears in to protect our constitution or not. If they don't may be they should.
Charging $76,300 to find an address they have known over a decade or denying your rights!.... I am not sure what to call it!.... Would you call it corrupt or criminal? Should this kind of Public Entity behavior change? Should this kind of a Tax Collector still keep his job and earn nearly half a million dollars a year?
After what happened and Tax Collector stopped answering any of my Property Tax related questions in a while, I needed to do something. This is why I am starting this petition with the hope of change for better.
Please support this petition for reasonable and just regulations. This petition will be sent to proper government branches, asking them to make following changes. https://www.credomobilize.com/...
~ Amend the taxation codes, so such abuse cannot take place. A tax Collector cannot sell a property for a a disputed amount. ($45....YEP!)
~ Adjust the outdated 18% interest charge for late payments to Federal standards. (Short term rate +3 and penalties removed for reasonable cause.) It was 1980 when California legislation passed 18% late fee charges at a time when the Federal rates were ranging from 14 to 20% range. Now, Federal rates are around 0 to 2% range.
~ New laws needed to be put in place to hold employees responsible when they abuse existing codes and ability to sue them for damages.
Please support this petition. Please help to raise awareness to those issues.
LINK FOR THE PETITION: https://www.credomobilize.com/...
I will also be on a Hunger Strike beginning April 6, 2015 to bring attention to this injustice and abuse of power. Please stop by, if you are near San Bernardino County Tax Assessor Office Building at; 172 W 3rd St, San Bernardino, CA 92415… Since I will be on a liquid diet, feel free to bring me anything liquid… :)
This important, because, some public entities are abusing current laws and codes that need to change. The current laws may only affect a few people but if the system can hurt people unjustly, that should be changed.
Please support this petition: https://www.credomobilize.com/...
PS: There was a similar story posted here about 5-6 months ago. In a similar incident taking place in Ohio (if I recall correctly...) and an elderly person losing their home for one missed payment, even if they had paid in the following years...
IMO, the reason tax assessors are not bringing missing payment to the taxpayers attention is simply to collect those outrages late fees and penalties. With "no new tax increases" in many states, the municipalities are likely in need of funds. The municipalities are stretching their codes to collect money in a corrupt way or even should be criminal in this case.
It is really easy to avoid such a mistake taking place. Just place a system that a new tax payment will not be accepted until the previous one is paid.
Please note, this Petition will be forwarded to California Governor Jerry Brown and San Bernardino County Tax Collector Larry Walker.
Thank you for your support.