New Haven Independent

Posted by: icarus 12 | August 16, 2007 2:31 PM

"Tax Collector Cuticello was unmoved. . .
If more people paid their taxes, the city could afford more staff, he added."

Hey, here's an incentive: if the city can collect taxes efficently, then instead of funding more staff, let's cut the tax rate a bit and simply fund what we've already gotten ourselves into. While that proposal might not warm the hearts of our "public servants", it just might encourage people not benefitting much from New Haven's services to pony up the cash.

Posted by: pedro | August 16, 2007 2:34 PM

You can also pay your taxes due online at:
http://www.cityofnewhaven.com/Taxcollector/C2GTaxBilling.asp

There is a $5 processing fee (plus the late fee for more than 30 days), but you avoid having to wait in line and can pay with a credit card. (so you can get those credit card points...:-p)

Open your record in a new web browser window, as once you go to officialpayments.com you have to reenter all of the information that was pulled up.

FYI your "Account Number" is the field "Account ID" in your record.

Posted by: Hawkeye | August 16, 2007 2:44 PM

List includes 5 alders - Jackie James, Robert Lee, Alex Rhodeen, Maria Reyes Rivera and Nick Shalek.

15 police officers
25 Firefighters
Scores of teachers

Posted by: Edward_H | August 16, 2007 2:46 PM

Wow. Even the New Haven Independent Man of the year is on that list.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2006/12/man_of_the_year.php

I have no sympathy for these people. Tow them all or boot all there cars

Posted by: Carole | August 16, 2007 3:03 PM

Icarus 12: Do you really think people avoid paying taxes because they're "not benefiting much from New Haven's services"? I think they don't pay because a) they can't afford it or b) they don't feel like it, and c) theythink they can get away with it, at least until City Hall cranks up the Bootfinder.

My family's car taxes this year cost $158.71. That's for two cars with a combined age of 25 years. If people are facing way higher tax bills than that, it's because they drive expensive vehicles -- and if they can afford the vehicle, they can afford the taxes. For a vehicle assessed at $20,000 (meaning it has a book value of about $28K), cutting the tax rate by a mill or two would save the owner $20 to $40 a year. Not much of an incentive to pony up the cash, if they're not persuaded by the legal obligation that they already have.

Posted by: Your Tax Dollars at Work | August 16, 2007 3:21 PM

BRAVO! Now everyone is being treated without fear or favor. That's how a democracy should be run. No longer will cheaters and scofflaws get away without paying their fair share EVEN if they're City employees (most folks who work hard for the City are decent and honest folk, but shame on those irresponsible 800).

The next logical step would be to collect from those who live and garage their vehicles in New Haven but get away without paying motor vehicle taxes because they register in another town -- or worse, another state.

Non-payers cheat the rest of us who regard payment of taxes, like voting, as part of our civic duty. If they don't pay up, the rest of us are forced to pay their share!

Posted by: newhavenneedsreform | August 16, 2007 3:52 PM

Maybe some of us don't pay on time because we just received the bill. New Haven seems to love to punish it's citizenry, negating the idea that the city is here to serve the populace not the other way around. What do these taxes pay for? A city with high murder rates, poor streets, a bloated city beaucracy, and abused public housing? I'll pay my bill, because I don't want to have my car stolen, but it's not right and it's one of the reasons this town will continue to scare away business, growth and tax paying workers.

Posted by: Taxed To Death | August 16, 2007 4:22 PM

Fact check: I paid my taxes in person before the deadline. The line that day was out the door, the check-in staff was not prepared, one kid came in late, didn't have a pen and couldn't find one, and it took more than an hour to get through the line. Oh, and Batman opened the office late. Perhaps Batman could consider staggering shifts so that the words "customer service" actually mean something.

Posted by: Fedupwithliberals | August 16, 2007 5:32 PM

Hey Taxed To Death, was there any pizza served?

Posted by: Icarus 12 | August 16, 2007 5:33 PM

To Carole,

I mostly agree with you: your argument that people who don't pay their city car tax probably do so because they can't afford it, don't want to, and feel they can get away with it.

But I have to disagree with your statement that, "if they can afford the vehicle, they can afford the taxes." Here's an example:

I spent a small fortune on repairs on a seven year-old Honda Civic, but the tax on it was decent. That car was totaled and my recent investment ($2,500) in its mechanical needs for the next several years was down the tubes. So I borrowed some money and bought a new car, a Honda Civic for $14,207. Then I got hit with a hefty tax bill the first year. I was between a rock and hard place: I needed a reliable car for my new business that included 400 miles plus a week in driving. I had paid the sales tax, the registration, the emisssions, the loan, and minor maitenance. But I found it was really hard to afford the high city tax bill on a new car. So I registered outside of New Haven.

Dishonest? Yes. Did I feel guilty? Yes. When the business did better, I re-registered the car to New Haven.

What I did before was wrong, but I rationalized it by the unjustness of a tax that costs the same person and car less in Darien ($28) than in Waterbury ($465). I suspect that others rationalize scoffing that particular law in the same way -- the way it is applied state-wide, town by town seems unjust. Just a thought.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | August 16, 2007 5:39 PM

It's amazing what actions the city takes to shove the cost of its underwhelming services down the throats of its taxpayers. Folks, this is what happens when you let your alders and mayor run amok - It's "public servants" gone wild.

Posted by: Carole | August 16, 2007 9:38 PM

Icarus 12, I'm totally in agreement with your big-picture point about the unfairness of the property tax system in Connecticut. There's absolutely no reason a Darien resident should pay so much less than a New Havener or Waterbury-dweller on the same car.

On your other point, though, I'm not convinced. By my calculation, the NH tax on that newer Civic should have been about $420 a year -- nothing to sneeze at, but less than most ordinary, not-rich people spend on cable TV or lots of other non-necessities. So sure, I understand the temptation to cheat when the system is so unfair. But fairness is a different question from affordability.

To Gary D: I'm not at all a fan of snatching people's cars to make them pay up. But surely you, a law-abiding citizen, want City Hall to make sure everyone pays what they owe? Otherwise, those tax delinquents and parking scofflaws are grabbing a free ride on your back and mine.

Posted by: Gary Doyens | August 16, 2007 11:05 PM

People are willing to pay their fair share - emphasis on fair. Taxes and spending in New Haven are out of control and out of line. Despite all the money City Hall rips from our families via property and car taxes, it still is less than half what it costs to operate the city. That means government here is costing more than we can pay. It's just that simple.

When our ability to pay is stretched, witness the 800 city employees who are behind, including several of the alders who consistently championed higher spending and taxes, you know you have a problem. When the tax collector consistently exhibits a callous attitude to the very people who pay his aalary and for his boot on their necks, I have a problem with that.

It's ironic that at Community Services at City Hall the illegal immirgrants get pizza for waiting in line, treated with respect and an entire program designed around their needs. Meanwhile, literally across the hall, the tax collector is booting, towing, repoing cars and planning foreclosures of the homes of taxpayers who are struggling.

Posted by: pedro | August 16, 2007 11:14 PM

Ummmm people also might have forgotten to pay their car tax as it sat in the large pile of mail next to my (erm I mean people's) computer.... :D

Posted by: sickofpeoplesickofliberals | August 17, 2007 1:01 AM

pedro--good tip on the on-line payment; thanks.
anyone know if the money is earmarked for anything in particular, e.g., something related to motor vehicles? fat chance, right?

Posted by: Walt | August 17, 2007 7:07 AM

While I support efforts to collect taxes legitimately owed, there should be protection against the careless attacks on innocent folks who wind up as targets of Cuticello and/or the attorney or other agencies with whom he contracts.

We were sued by the City of New Haven, because of Cuticello, some Wallingford outfit with whom he contracted, and a creepy (my opinion) attorney Onerato, for taxes on a house in New Haven in which neither I nor my son, who was listed in the suit, had never lived in, owned, or probably even seen.

(I had left New Haven over 50 years prior to the suit, and my son had not lived there since he was 2, Neither ever owned real property in the City.)

Cuticello, the Wallingford outfit and Onerato refused to look at proof that they were after the wrong guys, and pushed for I believe about $70,000 in back taxes owed on the property.

Eventually I was able to meet with the Mayor, who looked at my proof, and led Onerato to withdraw the lawsuit in Superior Court.

Even after DeStefano intervened, Onerato, and the so-called Ombudsman in City Hall, who is supposed to look out for the little guy, continued their obnoxious ways until I told them the Mayor had advised me to go back to him if I received no satisfaction from them.

Than, after several months of harassment by these ( word removed to save the Editor some work,), the suit was finally revised to remove us as dependents, a result that should have easily happened quickly if Cuticello , Onerato, and others cared a little bit about the truth.

Fortunately for us the Mayor was open-minded and forced a solution.

Collecting taxes is OK, but there should be some kind of penalty for these jerks.

While I know the guy who ran over Cuticello's foot was wrong, I must admit that I enjoyed that story a bit.

Posted by: concerned in ct | August 17, 2007 9:22 AM

State Rep Toni Walker is on the list

Posted by: on whalley | August 17, 2007 12:53 PM

Oh yeah. You need to pay for the NHPD's new Segways or the gestapo death squads will steal your property, surround your home, and if you do not submit to incarceration they will kill you.

Sounds just to me.

Any and all taxes are wrong and are an affront to liberty.

Posted by: Uncle Nunzio | August 17, 2007 1:17 PM

Good job New Haven Independent! Way to post addresses and birthdates of Police Officers in the city. Who knows what meta data lies in this document, perhaps Social Security numbers, too!

Maybe if the mayor ran the city better, the city wouldn't be acting in desperation to collect taxes.

Posted by: Uncle Nunzio | August 17, 2007 1:27 PM

Another point... this is VERY poor employee relations on behalf of the city.

I don't think it was very ethical for the city to publicly embarass those who support it. Imagine the compay you worked for, did something like this. Does UI, Comcast, AT&T, etc... send out public notices about their employees who are late on their bills? Who would want to work for an organization that does that?

These are reasons why unions are formed, to support thier employees from actions like this. Where are the unions in this?

If I still lived in the city, I would be asking for Cuticello head on a stake. This guy is a poor manager, BAD representive of the city, and needs to be fired.

I think the fall out from this is that the city is going to lose a lot of good employees, and lose any respect it had as a city.

Who is going to want to live in a city where the tax collector is no different than Sen. McCarthy. A witchhunting, irrational, idiot.

Posted by: Paul Bass | August 17, 2007 1:50 PM

Good point, Uncle Nunzio, et al... We've reposted the list with some of the info removed. Thanks.

Posted by: Your Tax Dollars at Work | August 17, 2007 4:59 PM

Some of you guys have it all wrong. Paying taxes is not only a legal obligation but a civic duty! Sure in a large system, there are some mischarges/injustices. There are ways to resolve these within the system.

Look at the donut - not the hole! If you're really concerned about how your mayor and duly elected representatives spend your money, the way to object is to use your voting franchise. All too few of us do. Most of our alders run unopposed. In contested elections, anyone can get elected alder if he or she can manage to drive 200 or 300 folks to the polls. That's because so few of us vote and caring citizens are disorganized.

We urgently need real charter reform! Our alder districts are too small and there are too many of them. A City Council consisting of 12 full time, paid council people could represent us honestly and efficiently. Our government is too "strong-mayor" (there should be more checks and balances on the mayor's power) and his term of office is too short.

But who of these part-time, underpaid alders will vote to eliminate a job that both feeds his or her ego, and possibly pocketbook by funneling fees, jobs and general political influence.

Posted by: Walt | August 17, 2007 5:12 PM

Correction above....defendants, not dependents in paragraph 4 from end.

My error

Posted by: Uncle Nunzio | August 17, 2007 6:31 PM

Oh.. and isn't that guy on the right of the first picture (of the Marshals) the mayor of North Branford? Weird, isn't it? Mayor of another town collecting taxes for a city?

Posted by: nhteacher | August 17, 2007 8:01 PM

Why am I on their list?! I DID pay my car tax (and the line was outrageous, with only one employee behind the counter!!!). Cuticello's office is clearly disorganized and dangerous (if they're going to penalize people who aren't even in the wrong!).

Posted by: Dean Moriarty | August 17, 2007 10:35 PM

I reiterate, why aren't others calling for Gary Doyens to throw his hat in the ring?? New Haven sorely needs someone with his conscience and views.

Posted by: Donna | August 18, 2007 1:27 AM

It took me THREE YEARS to get the tax collector's office to change the address on my car when I bought a home here in New Haven and moved from an apartment. The first year I completely forgot about the car tax bill so I wasn't looking for the bill, didn't notice when it was sent to the wrong address, and got towed. Went in, paid the bill to get my car back, asked them HOW I get the right address put on the bill. They said they'd take care of it. Ha ha.

The next year, I knew to expect it. When it didn't come, I called. Someone printed out my bill, still with the wrong address, and sent it to me in a hand-addressed envelope. I wondered why she didn't just fix the address and then print it, but whatever. Went down to the tax collector's office to pay on time. (KEEP IN MIND I'm now a homeowner in the city, and the address on my PROPERTY tax bill is correct and always have been. When the tax bill sent to my old address is returned to them by the post office, they have access to my correct address from any number of sources.) Again I ask, how to get it corrected? This time they blame the DMV, and tell me that THEY have to change the information when I changed the registration and it gets uploaded to their database, and the DMV must not have done that. Oops, guess they didn't think I'd bring in my newly-renewed registration, showing that the DMV has the correct address, and has for a year. Caught 'em in a flat-out lie, I did. Again, I was told they'd fix it.

Year three comes along. AGAIN, no tax bill. What did I do this time? I went to the tax collector's office and refused to leave until they updated my records, and provided me with PROOF that the address was finally changed. Made a huge stink. Took them about three minutes to accomplish the task.

Countless hours were spent on the phone with them and the DMV, going to the office itself, over the course of several YEARS, all because the office staff was too damn lazy to bother logging into their database and changing an address. They have absolutely no interest in helping the very people who pay their salaries. None at all.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | August 18, 2007 3:11 PM

like Taxed To Death said when I went the line was out the door so I left. But I did what pedro said, the on-line payment, worth the $5.00 charge.
I am sorry but I agree with this whole thing! I payed mine why should others not pay theres! I am glad they are going after the out of towners with tickets to!

And that list WOW good job! But how sad it that.

Posted by: Brad | August 19, 2007 12:31 PM

I have always been responsible in paying my taxes and other bills on time, but this year was different. First moved here from Florida where there are no yearly taxes on cars, so I were unaware of the New Haven way of taxing. Then I received a tax bill on Dec. 23 due Jan 1 for $500. I personally went down to City Hall to inquire about the costs and also if there were any discounts for being legally blind. I filled out the paperwork with the help of my wife. So I assumed there would be a discount on my next billing. June comes and with it another tax bill for over $500. So that means I am responsible for paying over $1000 in 7 months for a car worth around $12,000. May wife and I tried talking with those at the tax office including Cuticello. Nothing was accomplished. I paid what little money I had at that time and made one more payment before the bill became delinquent. I explained my circumstances to Cuticello and asked if at least making an attempt in paying would keep my car from being towed. He said that he could make no guarantees. Solution to the problem- paid the bill on-line with a credit card because I could not afford to pay the entire bill with cash. So there are people out there who are trying to do the right thing and still penalized.

Cuticello has no compassion for the people of New Haven. He lives in Guilford and only has to pay 24.32 for the mill rate.

Posted by: Dean Moriarty | August 19, 2007 11:59 PM

Gary Doyens: If you run for office (as I think I migt have mentioned before) I vow not to sell my house and move the hell out of here! Hey, I'll sign an affidavit to the fact.

Seriously, New Haven need someone with exactly your thoughts. We're all really tired of being worked over by this Admin.

Please, step up. I'd hazard a guess that you'd get more signatures on a petition than you think. Take a look at the posts on this forum. People are fed up and tired of fighting a seemingly useless cause. They want/need/would appreciate someone like you to REPRESENT them. That's the key word. This Admin does not represent the taxpayer/resident/supporter of this city. And there's something real wrong with that.

Gary, run!!

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | August 20, 2007 9:34 AM

If You Want To See The Real Deal About This Program Google In New York City Parking Violation
Scadel And Read It And Than Get Ready For Your Worst Nightmare And If You Think This Will Not Happen Here You Better Open Your Eyes!!! And By The Way Some Traffic Agents Just Got Arrest In New York For Writing False Tickets On Peoples Cars
And Most Of The Cars Was People Who Cars Are Out Of State And The Agents Know That Most Out Of State People Do Not Pay These Tickets. So By Doing This The Agents Make There Quotas. Bottom
Line With This Program I See The Same Thing Comming Right Here In New Haven!!!

Posted by: question | August 20, 2007 11:32 AM

It turns out many names on the list had paid the taxes, but the tax collector never verified the list, which was not up to date. Will NHI request an explaination from that office? Many hard working city employees, who paid their tax were on the list. It also means money was spent on warrants that was not necessary. How much would that have been? It is wrong to put out incorrect information and not hold the department that does it accoountable.

Posted by: dana b | August 20, 2007 2:18 PM

To Your Tax Dollars At Work:

Really liked your point that we need charter reform in order to create a smaller aldermanic board with each member having a modicum of political clout. Right now any mayor worth his political salt can and does dominate the Board of Aldermen. There's no in-city check on the mayor's power.

We currently have a tax & spend mayor. (And after a few years in power what politican is not "tax & spend"?) With the current system it's incredibly difficult or impossible for New Haven citizens to influence taxation or any other policy.

With no children and no need of government-funded housing, food, or health services, I pay and pay for myself and many, many others. Yet I have no say over that tax rate or how the money is spent.

My alderperson is a Destefano toady. Even if I or someone were elected to that alderman's seat, we would be powerless facing the mayor. And if we opposed him, he would take the machine and have us unseated in the next election. I saw that happen two years ago when Destefano & Co. inserted Alex Rhodeen to replace Rose Santana who had opposed the mayor on a few issues, one of them being good government.

Posted by: Common Sense | August 20, 2007 11:07 PM

I've been paying my car tax to the City of New Haven for over fifty years and my real estate tax for forty years. I have never had a problem with a tax bill mailed to me from the New Haven Tax Office. I have never mailed in my tax payment but go to the tax office to personally pay it. I never had a problem with any of the workers who always have been polite and personable. I have never waited in a long line at the tax office. I don't wait to the last minute. How does one afford to pay their taxes. It called planning and budgeting and not living over your head. Unfortunately many people can not make their budgets work or do not budget at all. There are many with hardships and paying their taxes is a struggle. However, too many people are living beyond their means. Many of them are the people in the long lines at the tax office. People pay large cable television fees monthly. If they miss a payment they lose the service. If they don't pay their fuel or utility bills - they will pay the consequence. When you are in the long lines at the bank, grocery store, Comcast Cable, gas station, lottery line, etc. do you complain? Do you write a letter to the editor and demand immediate attention? With all the issues that have been responded to thanks to the New Haven Independent everyone can plan for next year and avoid the long lines. Yes, there will be issues with wrong addresses, no longer own the vehicle, etc. The Assesor's office provides the grand list for the Tax Office. Corrects and inquirys can be done at that office prior to coming to the tax office. There is no excuse when the changes properly requested by the taxpayer are not done. We all know the tax bill is coming. Ignoring it is what is creating the rush to city hall. Without some type of drastic measures (towing of cars) all the people not in the long lines who have paid their taxes can be assured that everyone is meeting their tax obligation.

Posted by: taxpayer | August 21, 2007 9:27 AM

i paid my taxes and they still attempted to tow our car...twice. we had to run out in the early hours of the morning to show proof of payment. i have gone to the tax office on a variety of occassions and stood in a line out the door each time. the people who work in the department are not only inefficient they border on incompetent.

Posted by: Taxed To Death | August 21, 2007 3:15 PM

ha...and Alex Rhodeen has been better than a wife to Mr. DeStefano - routinely demeaning the peasants that seek recourse and some accomodation from their rulers with such disdain, he makes Leona Helmsley look like J.C.

Posted by: bugupit | August 21, 2007 9:02 PM

Unbelievable to see the license plate reading computer system sitting right there in the cab of a private tow truck! Blew my mind!! Irresponsible of government to cede the trust we put in it to these profit motivated repo men. I ask, and implore NHI or a reader to respond,what percent of taxes collected goes to the towtruck company as a fee? Shame on our Aldermen, our representatives. Why do I say this? Because in my experience, the tax office has screwed up too many times. Example, sending me a tax bill and not telling me that it also went to my mortgage company for payment. Example, when I paid taxes late one year because I had moved (my fault) I had them change my address. That fall upon renewing my license, DMV got my new address. The next year, Cuticello's third stringers sent my tax bill to my old address. I verified with DMV that, in the least, their records went to New Haven in time to update... the City had reset my address to old, some how. So, until they get their house in order and have a clean track record, they have NO business assuming guilt of the taxpayer in the face of their sloppiness.

Posted by: bugupit | August 21, 2007 9:14 PM

In Connecticut, the municipal government has no legal obligation to deliver your tax bill to you. It is your obligation to be aware of the tax requirement and either pay a received bill or go to the town, seek out the bill and pay. This has nothing to do with New Haven or CJ. It is legislative. Walker, Harp, Looney, Megna, Dillon, etc etc.... HELP!

This year, I had a new mortgage servicing company. I had no faith that the tax would be paid smoothly. I called and asked if they had my tax bill yet... too many to say. I called back, they would send me a copy... never came. Called tax office for a copy, yes, we can do that... never came. Emailed mortgage company... yes we have your bill. So sorry to bother you again, have you paid it... yes. All this agitation because I was afraid the City might tow my house!

Posted by: nfjanette | August 22, 2007 10:42 AM

I've received collections notices for vehicle taxes even though I've paid up to date in person and the online system indicates no taxes owed. Moving between local towns a few years ago was a nightmare of multiple trips to various tax offices to get the paperwork proving (for the DMV to register a car) the appropriate taxes were paid to the appropriate town tax office.

Posted by: Edward_H | August 24, 2007 11:44 AM

All you people who don't pay your taxes should at least fight for the same free pizza they give to the illegal immigrants who stand in line for their ID cards.

http://www.newhavenindependent.org/archives/2007/07/_when_father_ji.php