It seems – that Since 7/22/09 – after CCA, VICA, LA Chamber of Commerce announced their acknowledgment to our City Controller, somehow, mysteriously there has been a void for Controller progress report about city effort for collecting from these TOP egregious DELINQUENT Business Taxpayers in the City of Los Angeles.

Sometimes, the so called acknowledgment or compliment by some entities seem alarming during the wonders of a City in BIG RED!

According to the below linked City Finance Department report updated as of 1/10/2010:
http://www.lacity.org/finance/delinquent.htm

Just until 1/10/2010

• There are 172 TOP egregious DELINQUENT Business Taxpayers owing to our City ranging from $102k to $73 million – Mostly Parking Operators, Private Transport Co, Private Health clinics & etc & etc.
• This amounts to way over $150 million.
• Where is the city collection report for this?
• Is this notable amount of more than $150 million, penciled as a shared sacrifice towards the political write off planned to be chipped in by which other group, City workers or City residents?
• Are we complying to the model of “some are to take hefty business profit while others are to bare the sacrifice”?
• Are the conductors written off these costs to the usual target suspects to bare such burdens?
• After all – we know we have expert entertainers keeping us all amused and busy with spot lighted commonly attractive & noisy hoop las!

** Let’s remember that Monday evening, 1/25/10 – the Council Budget Committee Meeting – While LANCC was busy with their beautiful mobilization of public tax payers, the committee had already agendized approved motions for:

3 of Business Tax Refund Claims = $321k
10-0037 = Approve Refund = $122k
http://budgetla.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Budget-FinanceCommitteeAgenda.pdf
10-0036 = Approve Refund = $119k
http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2010/10-0036_rpt_bfc_01-26-10.pdf
10-0035 = Approve Refund = $80k
http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2010/10-0035_rpt_bfc_01-26-10.pdf

AND more important show of manipulation and disregard for the public safety and/or the budget concern is this below approved motion of out sourcing:
10-0089 = Approve irresponsible outsourcing of $871,421
http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2010/10-0089_rpt_ps_01-27-2010.pdf
http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2010/10-0089_RPT_CAO_01-25-10.pdf
http://clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/2010/10-0089_mot_1-20-2010.pdf
Motion (Garcetti-Smith) relative to a request for the transfer of funds to continue outsourcing DNA analysis while the hiring of 26 new positions to perform DNA analysis is being addressed through the managed hiring process, and related matters. (Also referred to Public Safety Committee.)

Below is the July 2009 Controller News Release about the TOP egregious DELINQUENT Business Taxpayers in the City of Los Angeles.

Regards,  Azar Nejad
One Professional City Employee
FURLOUGHS ONLY HURT!
Our City Communities & Our Families!
Please END Our Furlough NOW!
—————————————————————
http://controller.lacity.org/documents/Greuel090722DelinquentTaxpayer.pdf

NEWS

July 22nd, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Ben Golombek
(213) 595-2650
LOS ANGELES CITY CONTROLLER
WENDY GREUEL
Los Angeles City Hall East
200 North Main Street, Room 300
Los Angeles, CA 90012
Telephone (213) 978-7200
Facsimile (213) 978-7211

CITY CONTROLLER WENDY GREUEL UNVEILS CITY HAS COLLECTED MILLIONS FROM DELINQUENT TAXPAYERS

(Los Angeles) – Continuing her efforts to reduce the City’s budget deficit, City Controller Wendy Greuel revealed today, that her delinquent taxpayer program has successfully collected nearly $3 million from 16 delinquent taxpayers in just the past 4 months. In late February 2009, Controller Greuel unveiled the City’s first delinquent taxpayer list, to crack down on the most egregious delinquent business taxpayers in the City of Los Angeles.

“I’m pleased that we were able to collect nearly $3 million since the inception of the delinquent taxpayer program. The millions of dollars we have saved will allow us to close the City’s massive budget deficit,” said City Controller Greuel.

“With over $107 million in delinquent taxes still to be collected, we will remain vigilant cracking down on tax cheats. Cheating on your business taxes may seem appealing in the short-term, but costing the city such sorely needed revenues puts an unfair burden on the millions of law-abiding Angelenos.”

Controller Greuel also announced that her delinquent taxpayer program has notified – and is working to collect – an additional $107 million in delinquent taxes from 126 tax scofflaws.

These scofflaws have their names, and the amounts they owe, posted on a website
http://www.lacity.org/finance/delinquent.htm that is regularly updated.

“It’s no secret that Los Angeles has one of the highest business tax rates in the state, but the law is the law. Businesses are expected to pay their fair share and as a business organization, we will partner with the Controller to hold their feet to the fire,” said Carol Schatz, CEO of the Central City Association. Controller Greuel hopes that by publicizing the names of those taxpayers who refuse to pay their fair share, they will quickly come forward and settle their debt.

The list also serves to create a fairer business climate, by preventing scofflaw businesses from gaining an advantage over their competitors.

“VICA is impressed with the progress that has been made on collecting delinquent taxes and Controller Greuel’s hard work on this issue,” said VICA Chair Greg Lippe. “While we recognize this success, it also reminds us that there is still a lot of work to be done and that these uncollected funds are needed to help close the city’s budget gap. We have confidence that Controller Greuel will get the job done.”

“During this historic economic downturn every dollar counts,” said Gary Toebben, President & CEO, Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce. “The L.A. Area Chamber applauds Controller Wendy Greuel for her efforts to collect from delinquent taxpayers bringing nearly $3 million to the City in just a few months.”

“We are pleased with the results of the Top Tax Debtor’s program thus far. It is one of many collection tools available to the Office of Finance to help increase tax compliance and lessen the burden on those taxpayers who pay their fair share of taxes to the city,” said Antoinette Christovale the GM of the City’s Office of Finance.

Other jurisdictions have successfully implemented delinquent taxpayer lists and have collected millions of dollars in overdue taxes.

Connecticut was the first state to create a public list, and has collected $108 million in the first four years of the program. California is the biggest state to create a delinquent taxpayer list.

Since the state’s list was published in December 2007, California has collected $18.25 million in delinquent taxes. At least 10 other states have similar lists.

The delinquent taxpayers were sent a certified letter advising them that they had 30 days to pay or settle their debt. Those debtors who did not respond or enter into settlement negotiations were immediately posted to the City’s website.Please post this in the Budgetla.org – Public View section. I appreciate it.