All -- I am investing in properties in and around Cleveland. I wrote an early posting on this, but it did not publish. Anyway, it's a tax issue. The taxes in Shaker and Cleve Hgts are enormous and these foreclosures have huge taxes unpaid. As these homes go to auction nobody wants to pay the owned amounts (tens of thousands). Even when these properties are put up for tax lien auction the amounts are too great to interest buyers or fix/flip pros. Hence, City of Shaker figures just rip them down to save them from becoming meth lab and hurting neighborhood. So, one solution is to get community to "crowd source" funds to pay off these taxes and then recoup that money by selling to real families interested in community -- at good interest rates and maybe with city/gov help. I am happy to work with anyone interested in doing this. If something does not happen you will see this everywhere. You have no idea how many homes are in this situation. Let me know and love to hear comments. Bob Chew bchew [dot] boldpointnow [at] gmail [dot] com

Engineered by Rokakis-Frangos BEFORE subprime mortgage

scandal: 

Plain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Wednesday, May 17, 2006 

Author: Thomas Ott, Plain Dealer Reporter

A new state law will allow counties to more quickly seize many abandoned properties.  

The law will let county boards of revision instead of the courts rule on foreclosure of abandoned property for back taxes.  

The Ohio House voted 86-1 Tuesday to concur with Senate changes in the bill, sending it to the governor for his signature.  

The change would be particularly helpful in Cuyahoga County, where the court system is flooded with foreclosures. The move would require approval from the county commissioners.  

A recent count showed that of 13,597 pending foreclosures, 2,053, or 15 percent, were filed by the county for back taxes. The other cases were filed by lenders against owners who were behind on their mortgages.  

Most of Cuyahoga County's abandoned tax-delinquent properties are in Cleveland and East Cleveland, said County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, whose aide, Gus Frangos , wrote the original bill. State Rep. Sally Conway Kilbane, a Rocky River Republican, sponsored the legislation.  

Frangos , a former Cleveland councilman, said a tax foreclosure may stretch out for more than a year in court, but the Board of Revision could wrap up cases in four or five months.  

The board 's main job is to hear appeals of property valuations.  

If no one challenges the foreclosure, the board could immediately transfer the property to a new owner, Rokakis said.  

Properties that fail to draw interest from private bidders may be turned over to city land banks or nonprofit neighborhood groups for redevelopment. 

While Rokakis controlled Treasurer's Office

and Frangos controlled Board of

Revision!!!!

 http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-property-tax-lien-sale-may-31-2013-warning-pay-your-property-taxes-or-face-p

Destroying everything in sight. He destroyed an ENTIRE NEIGHBORHOOD. This property is still standing though. Big financial plans for this property.

NONE of the dumps have been demolished. No housing code violation cases filed in court either.

http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-foreclosure-crisis-who-will-sa...

* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*

Did Shaker Heights, especially - prior to subprime - target delinquent tax lien properties owned by African-American households for former treasurer Jim Rokakis' tax lien sales???  

And, selectively look the other way on "non-minority" residency cases for school enrollment, while pursuing and expelling African-American violators using Shaker for school enrollment???

Shaker Heights property  in county control:

Shaker Heights property  owned by Aeon Finanical tax thieves;

735-23-035 AEON FINANCIAL LLC 03709  SUDBURY SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-27-091 AEON FINANCIAL LLC 03643  ROLLISTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

Shaker Heights property owned by Plymouth Park Tax Service thieves:

731-19-009 PLYMOUTH PARK TAX SERVICES LLC 02881  WEYMOUTH SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-03-027 PLYMOUTH PARK TAX SERVICES, LL 03265  ENDERBY SHAKER HEIGHTS 

Shaker Heights property owned by Shaker Heights and Shaker Heights Land Bank:

 734-16-013 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   WARRENSVILLE CENTER SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-24-026 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 03628  CHELTON SHAKER HEIGHTS

735-21-006 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 03654  MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-22-012 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 00000  MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-22-115 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   CHAGRIN SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-23-005 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   SCOTTSDALE SHAKER HEIGHTS 

733-04-008 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   FAIRMOUNT SHAKER HEIGHTS 

733-04-009 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   FAIRMOUNT SHAKER HEIGHTS 

731-04-016 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   NORTH MORELAND SHAKER HEIGHTS 

733-23-020 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   SHAKER SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-13-089 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 03342  ASHBY SHAKER HEIGHTS 

731-18-028 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   SUTTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

731-27-020 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   SOUTHINGTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-15-014 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   ASHBY SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-15-015 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   ASHBY SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-16-002 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 16201  CHAGRIN SHAKER HEIGHTS 

731-25-026 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF 00000  WOODBURY SHAKER HEIGHTS 

732-04-001 SHAKER HEIGHTS CITY OF   SHAKER SHAKER HEIGHTS 

35-23-081 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03706  CHELTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-24-047 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03641  CHELTON SHAKER HEIGHTS

 735-21-003 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03666  MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-21-039 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03653  MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-13-025 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03367  SUTTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-13-048 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03326  COLWYN SHAKER HEIGHTS

 735-14-014 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03292  MILVERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-15-055 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 03452  MILVERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-16-003 SHAKER HEIGHTS, CITY OF 16500  VAN AKEN SHAKER HEIGHTS 

732-04-002 SHAKER HTS CITY OF   SHAKER SHAKER HEIGHTS 

732-28-002 SHAKER HTS CITY OF   ANDOVER SHAKER HEIGHTS 

733-31-013 SHAKER HTS CITY OF   BOYCE SHAKER HEIGHTS 

733-15-009 SHAKER HTS CITY OF   CHESTERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

733-15-010 SHAKER HTS CITY OF   CHESTERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

733-12-016 SHAKER HTS CITY OF   WARRENSVILLE CENTER SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-20-141 SHAKER HTS CITY OF 03753  MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-20-149 SHAKER HTS CITY OF 03728  MENLO SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-18-008 SHAKER HTS CITY OF   CHAGRIN SHAKER HEIGHTS 

733-29-014 SHAKER HTS CITY OF   COURTLAND SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-28-047 SHAKER HTS CITY OF 06400  KENYON SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-17-016 SHAKER HTS CITY OF CEMETERY   LEE SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-30-129 SHAKER HTS CITY OF L/B 00 00000  LOMOND & REIDHAM SHAKER HEIGHTS 

736-20-089 SHAKER HTS CITY OF L/B 03 03562  WINCHELL SHAKER HEIGHTS

 736-10-004 SHAKER HTS CTY OF 03470  WARRENSVILLE CENTER SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-17-014 SHAKER HTS HOUSING ASSOC     

733-31-002 SHAKER HTS LIB BD OF TR 20600  FAYETTE SHAKER HEIGHTS

 735-15-041 SHAKER HTS, CITY OF 03443  MILVERTON SHAKER HEIGHTS

 735-20-043 SHAKER HTS, CITY OF 03682  HILDANA SHAKER HEIGHTS 

735-28-029 SHAKER HTS, CITY OF 16840  CHAGRIN SHAKER HEIGHTS 

MASS DESTRUCTION.

It would take me a couple full days to research Cleveland, East Cleveland, Euclid and Garfield Heights- the hardest hit areas with the tax lien sales.

Shaker Heights was not heavily sold out to tax lien thieves.  A lot of the Shaker Heights property is from bank foreclosures.

I researched all of the property owned by Plymouth Park Tax Services  a couple of years ago when I researched  their delinquent property taxes owed to the county.  There are only two Shaker Heights properties on my list:

3651 Latimore Rd, Shaker Hts, OH 44122               delinquent taxes $8,767.02

 3608 Palmerston RD, Shaker Hts, OH 44122         delinquent taxes $28,184.22

http://realneo.us/content/plymouth-park-tax-services-aka-xspand-cuyahoga-county-victims-corruption-deserve-justice

I also researched every single tax lien sold by the county to tax lien thieves.  Shaker Heights was barely hit with the tax lien sales.

The above property does NOT include any property that was already given or nearly given to the chosen few. http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-land-bank-continues-give-county-taxpayer-property-flippers

Many property owners were targeted for petty delinquent property taxes and sold out by the county, while other property owners connected to county officials whose paycheck was dependent upon property taxes didn't even get a slap on the wrist:

http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-land-bank-president-gus-frangos-worlds-biggest-idiot-land-bank-scam-fraud-wa

* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*

Property owned by the tax lien thieves and delinquent property taxes owed to the county:

Transfer date to Aeon Financial fbo CapitalSource Bank thieves 6/2/11.   No taxes paid since the 2011 transfer.  Taxes owed $2,272.85

Transfer date to Aeon Financial fbo CapitalSource Bank thieves 8/11/11.  No taxes paid since the 2011 tranfer.  Taxes owed $3,646.69

Property taxes were paid, which means this property has value or they would not have paid their taxes.

Prior to losing their property to the tax lien thieves, the former owners owned this property since at least 1975- earliest date for county fiscal on-line records:

 This property is presently listed for sale  for $135,000 http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/2881-Weymouth-Rd-Shaker-Heights-OH-44120/33683781_zpid/

Property transferred 10/19/12.  Delinquent property taxes owed $10,583.30.  No taxes paid since the transfer.

* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*

Plymouth Park Tax Lien thieves do not pay property taxes after foreclosing on others for delinquent property taxes.  They only pay taxes if there is value to the property and they can profit.

If there is no profit, there is no tax collection.  

In this particular case, there are also board-up fees, grass cutting fees, garbage collection fees, violation fees, on top of delinquent property taxes.

Transfer date 3-8-11.   Over two years of not paying property taxes after these bitches foreclosed on the owner for not paying property taxes.  

Plymouth Park Tax Services owes Cuyahoga County $25,429.34 and the county continues to allow Plymouth Park Tax Services to profit from other properties- while cutting THEIR grass and boarding up THEIR property.

This property will be 'donated' to the county land bank so that taxpayers can foot the $25,429.34 bill AND the demolition bill.  

Those in charge of the county land bank - the great creators - created this mess.  http://realneo.us/content/cuyahoga-county-land-bank-creators-dabble-ten-million-dollar-property-jim-rokakis-gus-frango

National Consumer Law report on tax liens http://www.nclc.org/issues/the-other-foreclosure-crisis.html

Local property owners who have lost their property to these thieves would be very pissed off to learn that our incompetent county officials are allowing this to happen.

 Folks across the country would be shocked to learn that Cuyahoga County officials allow tax lien purchasers to foreclose on property owners for delinquent property taxes and then NOT PAY THEIR OWN PROPERTY TAXES - for YEARS.

Prior to being sold out by incompetent county officials, the former owners owned this property since 1985:

PRIMARY OWNER PLYMOUTH PARK TAX SERVICES, LLC PROPERTY ADDRESS 15217 Rockside RD, Maple Hts, OH 44137 TAX MAILING ADDRESS PLYMOUTH PARK TAX SERVICES, LLC, 35 AIRPORT RD, STE 150, MORRISTOWN, NJ 07960 LEGAL DESCRIPTION 22 WOODLAWN 0290 ALL Field Definitions PROPERTY CLASS SINGLE FAMILY DWELLING 2012 (pay in 2013) TAXBILL SUMMARY PARCEL NUMBER 786-01-182 TAXSET    Maple Hts. TAX YEAR      2002 (pay in 2003)   2003 (pay in 2004)   2004 (pay in 2005)   2005 (pay in 2006)   2006 (pay in 2007)   2007 (pay in 2008)   2008 (pay in 2009)   2009 (pay in 2010)   2010 (pay in 2011)   2011 (pay in 2012)   2012 (pay in 2013)     ASSESSED VALUES MARKET VALUES FLAGS LAND VALUE 3,080.00     LAND VALUE 8,800.00     2.5% RED.    N BUILDING VALUE 13,230.00     BUILDING VALUE 37,800.00     HOMESTEAD    N TOTAL VALUE 16,310.00     TOTAL VALUE 46,600.00     FORECLOSURE    N HOMESTEAD VALUE 0     CERT. PEND.    N   CERT. SOLD    N HALF YEAR CHARGE AMOUNTS RATES PAYMENT PLAN  N GROSS TAX 938.64     FULL RATE 115.1 LESS 920 RED 127.95     920 RED. RATE .136316 SUB TOTAL 810.69     EFFECTIVE RATE 99.410025 ESCROW 10% RED. AMOUNT 81.07     ESCROW    N 2.5% RED. AMOUNT 0.00     PMT. AMOUNT 0.00 HOMESTEAD RED. AMOUNT 0.00     ACCOUNT TOTAL ASSESSMENTS 855.29     HALF YEAR NET TAXES 1,584.91       CHARGES PAYMENTS BALANCE DUE   TAX BALANCE SUMMARY: 25,429.34 0.00 25,429.34   2012 (pay in 2013) CHARGE AND PAYMENT DETAIL Tax Information is up to the hour - tell me more. TAXSET CHARGE TYPE CHARGES PAYMENTS BALANCE Maple Hts. Prior year penalty - 2011 331.79 0.00 331.79 Prior year penalty - 2008 294.66 0.00 294.66 Prior year penalty - 2010 322.34 0.00 322.34 Prior year penalty - 2009 311.64 0.00 311.64 Prior year August interest - 2012 626.79 0.00 626.79 Prior year interest - 2009 36.59 0.00 36.59 Prior year interest - 2011 322.03 0.00 322.03 Prior year tax - 2008 1,901.00 0.00 1,901.00 Prior year tax - 2011 2,140.64 0.00 2,140.64 Prior year tax - 2010 2,079.54 0.00 2,079.54 Prior year tax - 2009 2,010.52 0.00 2,010.52 Prior year interest - 2010 556.62 0.00 556.62 Delq Interest - 2012 437.36 0.00 437.36 DELQ BALANCE 11,371.52 0.00 11,371.52 1st half penalty 72.96 0.00 72.96 1st half tax 729.62 0.00 729.62 1ST HALF BALANCE 802.58 0.00 802.58 2nd half tax 729.62 0.00 729.62 2ND HALF BALANCE 729.62 0.00 729.62 M114965F-GRASS CUTTING Prior year penalty - 2009 279.00 0.00 279.00 Prior year tax - 2009 1,800.00 0.00 1,800.00 Prior year interest - 2010 231.00 0.00 231.00 Prior year interest - 2011 105.00 0.00 105.00 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2009 2.79 0.00 2.79 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.91 0.00 0.91 Prior year August interest - 2012 193.20 0.00 193.20 Delq Interest - 2012 104.33 0.00 104.33 Prior year Aug SPA fee int - 2012 1.68 0.00 1.68 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2011 0.28 0.00 0.28 Prior year SPA fee - 2009 18.00 0.00 18.00 DELQ BALANCE 2,736.19 0.00 2,736.19 M284966F-GARBAGE REMOVAL 1st half penalty 9.00 0.00 9.00 1st half SPA fee penalty 0.09 0.00 0.09 1st half tax 90.00 0.00 90.00 1st half SPA fee 0.90 0.00 0.90 1ST HALF BALANCE 99.99 0.00 99.99 2nd half tax 90.00 0.00 90.00 2nd half SPA fee 0.90 0.00 0.90 2ND HALF BALANCE 90.90 0.00 90.90 M284966E-GARBAGE Prior year penalty - 2011 27.90 0.00 27.90 Prior year tax - 2011 180.00 0.00 180.00 Delq Interest - 2012 8.32 0.00 8.32 Prior year SPA fee - 2011 1.80 0.00 1.80 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2011 0.28 0.00 0.28 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.08 0.00 0.08 DELQ BALANCE 218.38 0.00 218.38 C100420-Sewer Maintenance Prior year interest - 2009 1.24 0.00 1.24 Prior year tax - 2010 100.00 0.00 100.00 Prior year tax - 2011 100.00 0.00 100.00 Prior year interest - 2011 12.04 0.00 12.04 Delq Interest - 2012 17.36 0.00 17.36 Prior year August interest - 2012 23.58 0.00 23.58 Prior year penalty - 2010 15.50 0.00 15.50 Prior year penalty - 2009 9.92 0.00 9.92 Prior year penalty - 2008 9.92 0.00 9.92 Prior year penalty - 2011 15.50 0.00 15.50 Prior year tax - 2008 64.00 0.00 64.00 Prior year interest - 2010 18.28 0.00 18.28 Prior year tax - 2009 64.00 0.00 64.00 DELQ BALANCE 451.34 0.00 451.34 1st half penalty 4.40 0.00 4.40 1st half tax 44.00 0.00 44.00 1ST HALF BALANCE 48.40 0.00 48.40 2nd half tax 44.00 0.00 44.00 2ND HALF BALANCE 44.00 0.00 44.00 C100420S-Sewer Maintenance 1st half penalty 0.60 0.00 0.60 1st half tax 6.00 0.00 6.00 1ST HALF BALANCE 6.60 0.00 6.60 2nd half tax 6.00 0.00 6.00 2ND HALF BALANCE 6.00 0.00 6.00 M114965G-GRASS CUTTING Prior year penalty - 2010 279.00 0.00 279.00 Delq Interest - 2012 93.44 0.00 93.44 Prior year tax - 2010 1,800.00 0.00 1,800.00 Prior year interest - 2011 84.00 0.00 84.00 Prior year Aug SPA fee int - 2012 1.68 0.00 1.68 Prior year SPA fee - 2010 18.00 0.00 18.00 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2010 2.79 0.00 2.79 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.91 0.00 0.91 Prior year August interest - 2012 173.04 0.00 173.04 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2011 0.28 0.00 0.28 DELQ BALANCE 2,453.14 0.00 2,453.14 M114965E-GRASS CUTTING Prior year penalty - 2008 139.50 0.00 139.50 Prior year interest - 2011 52.50 0.00 52.50 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.48 0.00 0.48 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2008 1.40 0.00 1.40 Prior year tax - 2008 900.00 0.00 900.00 Prior year interest - 2010 143.68 0.00 143.68 Prior year interest - 2009 17.33 0.00 17.33 Delq Interest - 2012 54.13 0.00 54.13 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2009 0.17 0.00 0.17 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2011 0.14 0.00 0.14 Prior year August interest - 2012 100.24 0.00 100.24 Prior year Aug SPA fee int - 2012 0.87 0.00 0.87 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2010 0.28 0.00 0.28 Prior year SPA fee - 2008 9.00 0.00 9.00 DELQ BALANCE 1,419.72 0.00 1,419.72 M114965H-GRASS CUTTING Prior year penalty - 2011 162.75 0.00 162.75 Prior year tax - 2011 1,050.00 0.00 1,050.00 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2011 1.64 0.00 1.64 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.49 0.00 0.49 Delq Interest - 2012 48.51 0.00 48.51 Prior year SPA fee - 2011 10.50 0.00 10.50 DELQ BALANCE 1,273.89 0.00 1,273.89 M114965I-GRASS CUTTING 1st half penalty 66.83 0.00 66.83 1st half SPA fee 6.68 0.00 6.68 1st half SPA fee penalty 0.67 0.00 0.67 1st half tax 668.32 0.00 668.32 1ST HALF BALANCE 742.50 0.00 742.50 2nd half tax 668.32 0.00 668.32 2nd half SPA fee 6.68 0.00 6.68 2ND HALF BALANCE 675.00 0.00 675.00 M284966B-GARBAGE REMOVAL Prior year SPA fee interest - 2010 0.06 0.00 0.06 Prior year SPA fee - 2008 1.82 0.00 1.82 Prior year penalty - 2008 28.06 0.00 28.06 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2009 0.03 0.00 0.03 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2011 0.02 0.00 0.02 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2008 0.28 0.00 0.28 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.09 0.00 0.09 Prior year August interest - 2012 20.15 0.00 20.15 Prior year Aug SPA fee int - 2012 0.17 0.00 0.17 Delq Interest - 2012 10.89 0.00 10.89 Prior year interest - 2011 10.55 0.00 10.55 Prior year interest - 2010 28.88 0.00 28.88 Prior year interest - 2009 3.49 0.00 3.49 Prior year tax - 2008 181.00 0.00 181.00 DELQ BALANCE 285.49 0.00 285.49 M284966D-GARBAGE Prior year penalty - 2010 27.90 0.00 27.90 Prior year August interest - 2012 17.30 0.00 17.30 Delq Interest - 2012 9.35 0.00 9.35 Prior year interest - 2011 8.40 0.00 8.40 Prior year tax - 2010 180.00 0.00 180.00 Prior year Aug SPA fee int - 2012 0.16 0.00 0.16 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.09 0.00 0.09 Prior year SPA fee - 2010 1.80 0.00 1.80 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2011 0.02 0.00 0.02 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2010 0.28 0.00 0.28 DELQ BALANCE 245.30 0.00 245.30 M224967-BUILDING VIOLATION Prior year penalty - 2011 175.15 0.00 175.15 Prior year tax - 2011 1,130.00 0.00 1,130.00 Prior year SPA fee - 2011 11.30 0.00 11.30 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2011 1.77 0.00 1.77 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.52 0.00 0.52 Delq Interest - 2012 52.21 0.00 52.21 DELQ BALANCE 1,370.95 0.00 1,370.95 M224964G-BOARD UP 1st half penalty 3.90 0.00 3.90 1st half SPA fee penalty 0.04 0.00 0.04 1st half tax 39.00 0.00 39.00 1st half SPA fee 0.39 0.00 0.39 1ST HALF BALANCE 43.33 0.00 43.33 2nd half tax 39.00 0.00 39.00 2nd half SPA fee 0.39 0.00 0.39 2ND HALF BALANCE 39.39 0.00 39.39 M284966C-GARBAGE Prior year penalty - 2009 28.06 0.00 28.06 Prior year SPA fee - 2009 1.82 0.00 1.82 Prior year SPA fee interest - 2011 0.02 0.00 0.02 Prior year SPA fee penalty - 2009 0.28 0.00 0.28 December SPA fee interest - 2012 0.09 0.00 0.09 Prior year August interest - 2012 19.42 0.00 19.42 Prior year Aug SPA fee int - 2012 0.17 0.00 0.17 Delq Interest - 2012 10.49 0.00 10.49 Prior year interest - 2010 23.21 0.00 23.21 Prior year interest - 2011 10.55 0.00 10.55 Prior year tax - 2009 181.00 0.00 181.00 DELQ BALANCE 275.11 0.00 275.11 TOTAL BALANCE 25,429.34 0.00 25,429.34

* My blogs expressing my Freedom of Speech Rights, especially on matters of public concern, are my opinion and not the opinion of my friends, family or employer*

  From a discussion at Clevelanders for Transportation - no *SURPRISE* the whole shell game again with your money (4million plus and counting) and it's set to be dismantled like Voices for Choices and more of the same:

• Angie Schmitt NOACA could also do this kind of thing. And might. But they're not really an agenda setting organization in the region right now unfortunately.

  March 4 at 10:52am · Like
• 

  Charles Gliha Cle needs a shadow cabinet. Experts in all spheres critiquing the policy-making, pension-accruing drones currently in power.

  March 4 at 11:10am · Like · 3
• 

  Angie Schmitt It's sorta sad I think that that hasn't developed more naturally, at least for urban design types. I think people are afraid to criticize, that they'll be punished.

  March 4 at 11:17am · Like · 2
• 

  Charles Gliha Criticism is treason, "anti-Cle". Basically all folks in power think like Putin. 
  
  
  
  Gotta resist that nonsense, we're Americans.

  March 4 at 11:51am · Like
• 

  Charles Gliha Lead the leaders

  March 4 at 11:52am · Like
• 

  Angie Schmitt I think a lot of them post their opinions anonymously on the closed forum Urban Ohio. I'm not really sure how much that accomplishes though.

  March 4 at 12:22pm · Like
• 

  Charles Gliha I am sure the smart ones are as frustrated as we are.

  March 4 at 1:02pm · Like
• 

  Marc Lefkowitz I'm not sure if I would call it a master plan or not for how we want to grow as a region, but the VibrantNEO plan and recommendations is a good or at least most recent place to start. It brought data into the question of sprawl vs smart growth and showed that all of NEO will be worse off with sprawl. It's a zero sum game we're currently playing. The work NOACA's Grace Gallucci did on this is a sign of positive movement. The VibrantNEO team is looking for a way to implement parts of their regional smart growth plan. I actually think you might have some -some- suburban leaders who get this. Not enough, IMO. We need a summit that brings them, and the new county leadership, together with NOACA to figure out, do we want the type of future that continues to build vibrant places that attract the "young people" (Kasich) or do we continue doing business as usual and lose to places like Pittsburgh.

  March 4 at 2:19pm · Like · 1
• 

  Angie Schmitt You know who'd be good at organizing this is David Beach. It's just a matter of getting the right people to say ok, this is a good idea.

  March 4 at 2:19pm · Like · 2
• 

  Angie Schmitt Vibrant NEO seems to have gone nowhere.

  March 4 at 2:19pm · Unlike · 4
• 

  Stu Nicholson David Beach would be a great choice.

  March 4 at 2:20pm · Like · 1
• 

  Marc Lefkowitz ^David's been meeting with the VibrantNEO board who is trying to decide if they will continue as an organization. Grace is still involved. But it's a commentary on Cleveland how irrational decisions continue to happen here even after a slam dunk case has been made to change course.

  March 4 at 2:23pm · Like · 2
• 

  Marc Lefkowitz Of course, you know David wrote about this and put together a Bioregional Plan for growth back in 1998. The VibrantNEO conclusions were really an outgrowth of that. I agree, David would/is a good leader for this effort. So is Grace.http://www.gcbl.org/files/resources/bioregionalplan1998.pdf

  March 4 at 2:26pm · Like
• 

  Angie Schmitt Yeah if you could get like David, Grace, Jenita, someone from NPI, Terri Schwarz and a few others to say, we have thi splan to increase transit ridership by 20% by 2025 or something that would be useful I think.

  March 4 at 2:37pm · Like · 1
• 

  Angie Schmitt Brad whitehead etc

  March 4 at 2:38pm · Like · 1
• 

  Charles Gliha Is density gd or bad, that's the critical issue. It's tough for pols because Americans starting with Jefferson are historically anti-density, or at least ambivalent. 
  
  
  
  From density flows lots of gd, but in the popular mind, more bad....See More

  March 4 at 2:48pm · Like
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  Angie Schmitt I effing love density! People can scaremonger about it all they want but real estate prices in manhattan speak for themselves.

  March 4 at 3:01pm · Like
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  Angie Schmitt It was basically a dumb idea for NEOSCC to spend 3 three studying the problem. We need an action plan. Fail. Man. Major fail. Well we have the study so developing an action plan should be easy. Something like 20% increase in transit ridership over the next decade or so. That shouldn't even require much thought.

  March 4 at 3:12pm · Like · 2
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  Marc Lefkowitz ^I like that goal. I think you'd want to have a corresponding land use plan that supports it. Density is king. Let's look at the growth trajectory of downtown Cleveland as an indicator that even in Cleveland density is desirable again. I think you also need to include the electeds in that 'press conference'.

  March 4 at 3:16pm · Like · 1
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  Angie Schmitt Well if we had that goal at least we'd have something to say: hey wait, this land use decision is at odds with this agreed upon goal.

  March 4 at 3:19pm · Like · 1
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  Marc Lefkowitz Can we also include the business community somehow? I feel like other places had more success i.e. got the electeds to take this more seriously when they got guys in suits talking about it. Maybe we should all start going to CVB/Growth Ass. meetings. LOL.

  March 4 at 3:47pm · Like

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• http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2015/03/housing_advocates_cuyahoga_countys_approach_to_collecting_delinquent_taxes_contributing_to_blight.html
        Garry Kanter

  
  3 days ago
  
  

  The irony, of course, is that Rokakis and friends designed every single piece of legislation and procedures that has led to these grotesque, long standing abuses of the citizenry.

  Our neighbors are losing their homes and having their lives destroyed.

  Neighborhoods are being blighted.

  Public officials, oversight agencies, the courts and the media - especially the PD and NEOMG - have been alerted repeatedly to these problems for years. And done nothing.

  The NAACP asked the county to cease the tax lien sales well over a year ago.

  That Mr. Tobias and his editors apparently only feel this is newsworthy because the "right" people are calling it a problem sickens me.

  There are shell games being perpetrated by many of the people who claim to be protecting our interests.

  This is no lesser a scandal than the Dimora/Russo, and should have been brought to justice along with them. 
  

  
  

• "The study also found the amount of delinquent property taxes on homes and apartment buildings has ballooned since 2009 from $89 million to $214.7 million."

•  
•  http://realneo.us/content/investigation-needed-tim-donovan-ohio-canal-corridor-board-zoning-appeals-delinquent-water-b

   

  http://realneo.us/content/councilman-versus-bagman

   

   

   

  Are you paying taxes??!!  Suckas! See how Brian Cummins' contributer above is not paying his taxes -- AND

   

   Here's a little institutional memory : Frangos and Rokakis legislated the first sale of tax liens.  The gravy train started in the nineties under Mike White (controlled by Forest City's Sam Miller) when local politicos (pure evil genius) realized they could change the laws at the state level to benefit real estate interests-

   

  BUSINESSES CHIP IN TO KEEP MAJORITY OF CITY COUNCILPlain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Friday, September 17, 1993Author: BENJAMIN MARRISON and CATHERINE L. KISSLING PLAIN DEALER REPORTERS

   

  Big Business is PAC-ing in the money for Cleveland City Council. 
   

  PACs, or political action committees, account for nearly one-third of the money raised by a newly formed "Council Leadership Fund," which has collected $135,563 to retain a majority of council members who face re-election this year, according to documents filed yesterday with the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. 

  Political action committees representing area law firms, businesses and developers, many of which represent interests that do business with the city, contributed $42,800 to the fund. 

  The fund is controlled by Council President Jay Westbrook. Mayor Michael R. White and businessman Sam Miller have pledged to help Westbrook raise $300,000. 

  (the article continues)

  In Ward 13, Gary Paulenske , who was appointed to his seat, has raised $10,385 since January. Gus Frangos , who appointed him to the seat, gave about 20% - $2,000 - of funds so far.Paulenske , who has spent all but about $600 of his money, also received $1,000 from Jacobs.  

  So you see Brian - nothing changes except the names.  Frangos, Rokakis and their ilk found way to make CDCs work for them. And, their real estate games are killing this city. Foreclosure, flipping, demolitions and shoddy tax-abated new construction.  And, their little empire started with selling tax liens.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   Tax lien sales were legislated at state level by Frangos in 1998.

   

  From the Cuyahoga County's website: 

   

  "Ohio Revised code sections 5721.30 to 5721.43 permits the Cuyahoga County Treasurer to sell tax lien certificates on parcels that have delinquent taxes.

  Since 1998 Cuyahoga County has utilized these code sections to conduct tax lien certificate sales which have resulted in significant increases in the collection of delinquent taxes. The primary beneficiaries of the increased collections have been school districts"

   

   

  BUT even the sale of tax lien sales couldn't put money in the pockets of Frangos-Rokakis' friends and political supporters FAST ENOUGH - so foreclosure laws were put in high gear:

   

  
  
  
  
  Law OKs speedier foreclosures

  Plain Dealer, The (Cleveland, OH) - Wednesday, May 17, 2006

  Author: Thomas Ott, Plain Dealer Reporter

  A new state law will allow counties to more quickly seize many abandoned properties. 

  The law will let county boards of revision instead of the courts rule on foreclosure of abandoned property for back taxes. 

  The Ohio House voted 86-1 Tuesday to concur with Senate changes in the bill, sending it to the governor for his signature. 

  The change would be particularly helpful in Cuyahoga County, where the court system is flooded with foreclosures. The move would require approval from the county commissioners. 

  A recent count showed that of 13,597 pending foreclosures, 2,053, or 15 percent, were filed by the county for back taxes. The other cases were filed by lenders against owners who were behind on their mortgages. 

  Most of Cuyahoga County's abandoned tax-delinquent properties are in Cleveland and East Cleveland, said County Treasurer Jim Rokakis, whose aide, Gus Frangos , wrote the original bill. State Rep. Sally Conway Kilbane, a Rocky River Republican, sponsored the legislation. 

  Frangos , a former Cleveland councilman, said a tax foreclosure may stretch out for more than a year in court, but the Board of Revision could wrap up cases in four or five months. 

  The board 's main job is to hear appeals of property valuations. 

  If no one challenges the foreclosure, the board could immediately transfer the property to a new owner, Rokakis said. 

  Properties that fail to draw interest from private bidders may be turned over to city land banks or nonprofit neighborhood groups for redevelopment. 

  More than 20 other states have similar procedures, Frangos said.

   

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   

  Maybe folks will suddenly care when their mom or dad gets the tax lien treatment- I worked with a senior vet yesterday who experienced the "game:"

   

  http://www.aarp.org/money/taxes/info-2015/tax-collectors-blindside-homeowner.html

http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015/03/sale_of_tax_liens_by_cuyahoga.html

UnREALNEO - three women bloggging at REALNEO have been calling this since 2008 - you don't want to acknowledge that we knew this was undermining the tax base in Northeast Ohio, beyond repair.  And, Northeast Ohio Media Group CONTINUES to cover for the two primary swindlers who have been gutting Cuyahoga County for years - Jim Rokakis and Gus Frangos.  

Both started their scheme while in CLE council and they continue to work that body for all it is worth through the federally funded Community Development Corporations that exist at the behest of the council reps.  Armond Budish needs to dissolve the "Land Bank" now - it's a tax cleansing mechanism for investors in the scheme Rokakis-Frangos cooked up a la the "Tremont model" of gentrification, looking for the "flip."  It's not working in Slavic Village - where they try to dress up the devastation they caused there with "straw buyers" and it's not going to land a profit for Ginmark properties on West 25th - the transportation corridor they have been playing since council days for the infusion of state and federal monies due, as it SOMEDAY gets an upgrade.  Budish needs to crack down and collect taxes - starting with properties owned by Gus Frangos and his shell companies.  He needs to take these people to court - now and scare some of them into paying with possible jail time.  Under Rokakis as treasurer - many Section 8 rental property owners got a way with not paying taxes on their properties.  Many of those folks immediately payed up when FitzGerald took office.  There is a need for a federal investigation by HUD right there.  

^^^^^^^above comment deleted ^^^^ I called Chris Evans at NEOMG who would not divulge who censors their content - he referred to these people as his superiors "DigiOp" personnel.  What a crock - Evans is perhaps the sorriest excuse for a journalist we have in NEO.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Comment deleted today 3/24:

http://www.cleveland.com/architecture/index.ssf/2015/03/community_group_say_they_want.html

@beautifulcity I agree - but I would not use a pseudonym to make your point. The study you cite should be read by the Greater Cleveland Partnership folks behind the Opportunity Corridor- INCLUDING a Bike Cleveland board member Marie Kitteridge. 

http://www.cleveland.com/.../opportunity_corridor...



CLE's leadership doesn't pass the smell test when it comes to spending federal and state transportation dollars. It doesn't pass the test w/local dollars as in the case of Councilman Tony Brancatelli hoarding street repairs dollars - for what? I would also suggest you read Responsive City by Stephen Goldsmith and Susan Crawford. 

For instance, this article is pure GCP bullsh#t: 

http://www.bostonglobe.com/.../vjYMflq7YdCoffM.../story.html

Other cities - with corruption issues like CLE - DC, Chicago, Boston, New York - driven by insane real estate schemes-- are SLOWLY recognizing that even with as much drivel "comeback" promotion thrown at residents - no one is going to buy it when their roadways and bridges are collapsing. Even Chicago is moving towards Open Government - https://data.cityofchicago.org/

In retirement - I will not choose to stay in CLE, if the "Opportunity Corridor" folks continue to design CLE's future.