Save Pig Iron Press From Foreclosure - Friday, May 4

[sfc_oliver]

I can only say that I recently finished reading a book that was printed by the PigIron.....

Some of you have probably heard of or read it yourselves, Ragman Ragman.......

[Towntalk]

That's right Jay tell companies that wish to locate here and bring much needed jobs that they will get no benefits whatsoever ... they must purchase the land to build on ... and most of all, they must all pay property tax. Better no jobs than jobs at companies that do not have to pay property taxes. We all know that companies, both big and small are necessairly evil and must be strictly controlled by we the people.

But wait a minute ... one of these evil corporations recently gave the Youngstown schools a million dollars worth of equipment and supplies FREE and vowed to do the same next year.

How much is Occupy Youngstown doing for Youngstown in terms of jobs that pay a good wage?

[Rick Rowlands]

Property taxes should be ruled unconstitutional, since they are a prohibition against ownership of real property in America.  There are other ways of funding schools and public services that are more equitable and that do not destroy a founding principle of this country.

I am sure the Occupy Youngstown people will be protesting the "evil" lienholder and not Jim, when the situation was entirely in Jim's hands to prevent.  Instead of protesting, why don't the Occupy people all pony up and pay off the lien?

[jay]

Some "Corporations Are People Too" don't have to pay property taxes like the rest of us

Example from the last city council meeting
Ordinance 6

Board Of Control to enter into an Enterprise Zone Agreement with Taylor-Winfield Technologies, Inc. and McDonald Industries Development, LLC, and Haybrook Warren, LLC, for a ten (10) year, seventy-five percent (75%) abatement of real property taxes resulting from the project located at 3200 Innovation Place, City Lot #62014; PP#53-186-0-022.00-0.

[jay]

From the news release

Mr. Villani insists that the methods employed by American Tax Funding are contrary to conventional fair trade practices in the debt industry.  ATF failed to notify the defendant of the debt before foreclosing; ATF failed to offer a buyout; ATF failed to offer a payment schedule that defendant could meet; and ATF failed to acknowledge that a $9,000.00 payment constituted a sincere effort by defendant to meet his obligation.

[Towntalk]

Since the banks are simply foreclosing only on the building, what's to keep him from relocating his business in a smaller shop that he could lease. The big question is this: obviously his revinue stream is smaller than his liabilities. A smaller shop at the Wards Building would be more fitting.

Jim Villani, owner of the business and an Occupy Youngstown member, failed to pay his property taxes from 2007 to 2009, an amount he said was $4,088.67. The Mahoning County treasurer sold a tax lien on his business to American Tax Funding, a Florida company that buys liens.

[Rick Rowlands]

Oh well.  If Jim had incorporated as a non profit organization and obtained tax exempt status the building would have been exempt from property taxes.  I believe that what he did there was more along the lines of a non profit literary club of sorts. 

[jay]

FYI

Protest the Foreclosure of
PIG IRON PRESS

Friday, May 4
11:00 a.m. ->

- Location -
Pig Iron Press Building
26 North Phelps Street
Downtown Youngstown

Additional information forthcoming