By: Libi Uremovic, June 16, 2014 | Original Article at Patch.com
Item 7.A.7 RESOLUTION – COLLECTION OF DELINQUENT SEWER & REFUSE
Item 7.A.8 RESOLUTION – COLLECTION OF NUISANCE ABATEMENT CHARGES
Item 7.A.9 RESOLUTION – COLLECTION OF WEED ABATEMENT CHARGES
On June 11, 2014 the City of Beaumont announced the need for ‘Property Abatement Contractors’ to remove debris from yards and board up abandoned houses.
The June 17th Agenda lists three Resolutions to attach liens on property that owes fees to the City for Sewer and Refuse, Weed, or Abatement charges placed on the property by the City.
Although most of the abandoned properties are in the development, this Resolution is not restricted to the newbies. It will be applicable to everyone in the City. The City wants the ability to attach any fees and fines they choose to levy upon the citizenry as additional property taxes.
There are over 1,000 abandoned houses in Beaumont. These houses are abandoned partly because the market has been flooded and there is no demand and partly because of the Mello Roos liens already attached to the properties. Attaching more liens will further erode the property values in Beaumont.
Because Council authorizes the Resolutions they are legally and criminally responsible. Just a few months ago Council wanted to pay people’s water bills with Castaldo and Berg leading the charge in accusing the Water District of unethical behavior, now they want to provide a path that will inevitably force people out of their homes. Cutting off a person’s water is much more ethical than attaching liens to cause them to lose their homes.
The 10,000 original residences of Beaumont have allowed their City to be pillaged because the money didn’t come out of their pockets, only the ‘future residences’ paid for the City’s poor choices. Now it appears the City is going to make everyone pay their ‘fair share’.
We know that Council doesn’t pay their own sewer and refuse bills because: #1 When they talk about the sewer and refuse fees they have no personal references, and #2 It’s not possible for Members of Council to pay sewer and refuse bills when they have no income.
We all know the Berg does whatever he’s told without any regard to the consequences, but I would like to leave Berg and the rest of Council with this thought: Passing these Resolutions will allow the City to attach liens on YOUR PROPERTIES too.
If Council had a written agreement that the City would pay their bills it wouldn’t be valid, but they have no written agreement, they only have Kapanicas’ ‘word’ – and we all know what that’s worth.