TOWN COUNCIL MAJORITY OFFICE
TAX POLICY COMMITTEE
DECEMBER 19, 2011
PRESENT William P. Horan, Jr., Temporary Chair; Councilors Marc Weinberg and Pat Harmon
ALSO Mayor Marcia A. Leclerc
PRESENT Mike Walsh, Finance Director
Rich Gentile, Assistant Corporation Counsel
Ram Aberasturia, Councillor (6:35 p.m.)
CALL TO ORDER
Temporary Chair Horan called the meeting to order at 6:03 p.m.
NOMINATION OF OFFICERS
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Pat Harmon
to nominate Bill Horan as Chair
of the Tax Policy Committee.
Motion carried 3/0.
MOTION By Pat Harmon
seconded by Bill Horan
to nominate Marc Weinberg as Secretary
of the Tax Policy Committee.
Motion carried 3/0.
ADOPTION OF RULES GOVERNING MEETINGS
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Pat Harmon
to adopt Robert’s Rules of Order as the rules that shall govern
parliamentary procedure at all subcommittee meetings, with the exception
that (1) the Chair shall not be required to restate the motion of any
Council member unless requested by another Councillor, or when in the
discretion of the Chair, such restatement is necessary to avoid any
confusion as to the motion; and (2) where such rules are in conflict with
the provisions of the State Statutes, the Town Charter, or Town
Ordinances.
Motion carried 3/0.
ESTABLISHMENT OF MEETING DATES
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Pat Harmon
to hold meetings at the call of the Chair.
Motion carried 3/0.
STORAGE OF RECORDS
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Pat Harmon
to store records in the Town Council office.
Motion carried 3/0.
APPROVAL OF MINUTES
September 14, 2010
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Pat Harmon
to approve the minutes of the September 14, 2010.
Motion carried 3/0.
OPPORTUNITY FOR RESIDENTS TO SPEAK
None
OLD BUSINESS
None
NEW BUSINESS
Improve East Hartford Program
Mayor Leclerc discussed the new “Improving East Hartford Program” and how it works. Finance Director Mike Walsh
reviewed examples of how the Program applies to residential homeowners and initiated a general discussion of this Program.
Mr. Walsh also reviewed examples of how the Program applies to commercial properties. Deferral of the taxes on the increased assessment due to the improvements that are made, is the main incentive for property owners, both residential and commercial,
to make significant improvements now rather than waiting. Assistant Corporation Counsel Rich Gentile discussed the application
of the Program and reviewed his proposed resolution that would need to be approved by the Town Council.
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Pat Harmon
to refer the proposed resolution regarding the Improving East Hartford
Program to the Town Council for purposes of discussing the parameters of
a tax relief program as required under Sections 12-65(c) – 12-65 (f) of the
Connecticut General Statutes and setting a public hearing date on such
proposed tax relief program.
Motion carried 3/0.
Tax Lien Sales and Foreclosures
Finance Director Mike Walsh initiated a general discussion of the proposed tax lien sale
and foreclosure list. One new aspect is the use of foreclosures by the town for properties
that have been on a payment plan before but which failed. The criteria for properties
being put on the tax lien sale was discussed – owing more than $10,000 or owing taxes
over three tax list years.
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Pat Harmon
to recommend that the Town Council authorize the administration to
conduct a tax lien sale by way of a request for proposal (RFP) and to seek
and receive sealed bids pursuant to an invitation to bid on a number of tax
liens held by the town on specific real property as listed on a "delinquent
report" produced by Finance Director Mike Walsh dated November 10, 2011 and
attached to a memorandum from Mayor Leclerc to Rich Kehoe, Town Council Chair,
dated December 6, 2011 subject to the following four conditions:
- The Collector of Revenue shall notify the~record owner of each property subject to a lien that is to be included in the tax lien sale, by certified mail, that the lien is being included in the request for proposal and invitation to bid, and that~the owner should contact the Town immediately to pay the taxes or seek a payment plan if they wish to keep the Town's tax liens on their property from being sold;
- In order to qualify for a payment plan, the property owner must meet the following three criteria:
- They must remit 25% of the outstanding amount due
- They cannot have defaulted on a prior payment arrangement
- Their property must not have active property code violations
- The letters from the Collector of Revenue to each property owner shall notify the property owner that the purchaser of the tax lien on their property shall have the right to foreclose on that property; and
- The Administration shall return to the Town Council with the results of the request for proposal and that the proposal for each tax lien must be approved by the Town Council before it is sold.
Motion carried 3/0.
ADJOURNMENT
MOTION By Marc Weinberg
seconded by Pat Harmon
to adjourn (6:59 p.m.)
Motion carried 3/0.
cc: Town Council
Mayor Leclerc
Mike Walsh, Finance Director
Rich Gentile, Assistant Corporation Counsel
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