Letter to Governor Mario Cuomo

Public Advocate Omar Dyer is now asking NY's Governor Mario Cuomo to reconsider his (BAN) on what he calls Special Interest Groups, (Elected Leaders) and Public Advocates. Saying, a full out ban isn't the solution—tough legislation is the solution, whereas a full out ban is political discrimination.

Dear Governor Mario Cuomo
From Public Advocate Omar Dyer

I don't see the importance to this legislation (where you are banning lobbyist and public advocates or special interest) -- it really doesn't make sense. You can’t ban the growth of business opportunities because a selected few don't see eye to eye. Banning non-paid public advocates from setting up public firms, and creating innovation; plus participating with government on technology—isn't the approach to winning the future.

Sure pay to play comes abroad but the best way to rule out pay to play— is to force appointed, elected; or lobbyist to fully disclose their intentions, on why they are lobbying or advocating for funds. Like for instance, if a scientist invented the latest creation in solar panels, and government steals that inventor’s idea—who is to pay that inventor. Not the lobbyist, they are banned by political leaders with agendas, not the elected official—they want campaign donations. The only ones that grant patents are government agencies, and the only way to get funding from a government agency is to be an advocate, elected leader, or a registered lobbyist.

So the best way to deal with them is to have them disclose their intentions, and disclose how much they will be paid for helping. You just can't ban something because you disagree with them. We fought the Revolutionary War to allow farmers and inventors, that basic right to sell their information to government. And have government repay them for their indentured service, and this country is no-longer free, labor is a show of life.

A full out ban on these basic services, will make attorney generals, and court appointed lawyers more frustrated with cases that are over whelming because scientist or others couldn’t afford the price tag at the bank. And imagine a scientist going to a bank with an idea, and no basic help. That scientist will be turned away at the door, and his idea maybe stolen. The role of a Governor is to encourage business, scientist and artist to explore and engage in arts. And have their ideas protected by someone who knows the system. Manly a lobbyist or a public advocate, and to ban what you call special interest groups, when federal law requires, a non-profit, business, publicly owned private companies to have a registered lobbyist, or advocate on their staff if they want to sell their products, or engage in commerce; is certainly bad business. And as a public advocate for the people, I will take on a challenge that bans business. I am not afraid of tough rules and regulations, but I am totally against full bans. A ban on something is political discrimination period, and I will fight that no matter who is in charge—where ever these types of discrimination take place.

Fire John "Jack" Kelly

The People would like the Jack Kelly experiment too come to an end. We lobbied in December to save these jobs. When David Donnelly (Incumbent) was running for office in a 2010's special election as Team Healy’s first campaign show-down; whereas we lobbied against his candidacy! Omar Dyer went on a one man protest, shadowing every move made by the councilman.

The Councilman (David Donnelly) professed that he would word hard to stop these types of Lay-offs. And his campaign made serious pledges that these types of actions will not and can’t happen on his watch. Yet, in a meeting at 280 Grove Street Jersey City, NJ 07302; the council and president of Jersey City’s council, made a bold statement “The city is working hard to make ends meet, and because of the snow—we may have to lay off workers.” That was released in the Jersey Journal, yet on record in council chatter, where and which everyone can hear—he stated: “Bill, if anyone can do any better tell them to come forward.”

That was a challenge national / city activist and Hudson County Democratic National Committee Organizer of the state of New Jersey—gladly took. Omar Dyer, lobbied Congress for Emergency Funds, and with the help of New Jersey’s State Senator Mike Sweeny, who place New Jersey in a state of emergency; helped the public advocate to educate congress on the increasing problems happening in New Jersey. And through the Roads, and Hazard conditions, plus with FEMA—New Jersey was awarded $20 million—whereas Jersey City NJ, was given $1.3 million. And the emphasis was to save current jobs, and on hiring new employees. Jersey City failed to bring in New Employment, and nobody can explain where the $1.3 million went, or how it was spent.

Come this June 2011, Jersey City wills lay-off those workers, in a 108 massive employee lay-off, in order to save $6 million dollars. Yet, what Jack Kelly isn’t telling you is the underlining notion, that Jack Kelly submitted a budget to the council worth $447 million dollars. Thus losing with a wipe of the pen of an $80 million dollar budget gap—which includes obligated spending! Spending that the city has to pay for but can’t find sources or doesn’t want to raise taxes on municipal increases to justify means to pay for them! And how does Jack Kelly monitor the spending decreases or cut to the budget – which is (Don’t Include them, even though the spending is there), so he can say: “Jersey City cut the budget, when in reality—it didn’t.”

Omar Dyer is calling for Jersey City to step up to the plate, and fire Jack Kelly. Omar Dyer if needed will organize a Petition Drive to Fire Jack Kelly. And to replace Jack Kelly with a system wide search with in Jersey City. And have a candidate that the city respects run the business affairs of the city. One who will find ways to save jobs, not send people to the county welfare office, or welfare office completely?

Omar Dyer is also, asking and sending request to Jersey City’s Council which is lead by Council President Peter Brennan, Council Representative Bill Gaughan, Council Representative Nidia Lopez, newly appointed Council Representative Kalimah Ahmad, Council Representative David Donnelly, Council Representative Viola Richardson, Council representative Ray Velazquez, Council Representative Steve Fulop, Council Representative Michael Sottolano: “To attend or make un-announced stops to the social services departments in Hudson County, like the County Welfare, and regular welfare offices, and see how many people are currently and now on those programs—who normally wouldn’t be there if the city provided better resources for job creation, and public employment.

Omar Dyer released a statement to Coaches! 101’s blog: “Jersey City’s Jack Kelly has played make shift games with the city budget at the expense of city residents. And his political games, of decreasing a budget at the expense of the people—don’t work in a city with this large of a population. Instead of crashing jobs, to make it seem like the city is saving money; the role of the business director is to promote private expansion. Not lay people off send them to social services, with no plan of re-entry, is bad management. And to place a $5 million dollar estuary account—where the council doesn’t control, but have to approve; so Jack Kelly can spend it in anyway he can—without anyone monitoring him, is a slap in the face to the 108 people he plans to lay-off.”

Coaches! 101’s Political Action Committee would like to see Jack Kelly removed from his post. This was a temporary post, until the city found someone with in the city that was interested in the job. Omar Dyer has already submitted his application to be on Mayor Jerramiah Healy’s advisory board – whereas Mayor Jerramiah Healy has stated, he wanted to speak to Mr. Omar Dyer on this action, and wanted Omar Dyer to prove he can handle the enforcement. Omar Dyer during those times, has proven he can handle the cities massive budgets, and will do it with the best interest of the people. Coaches! 101 is now placing on notice that we plan to draft and file a petition to remove Jack Kelly – or call for Mayor Jerramiah Healy to fire Jack Kelly. And under state laws, this is a citizen’s action, not a recall – so the required numbers to file for this petition will be 100. And since Jack Kelly didn’t run in an election, our organization can file a 100 petition from the people within the city on issues about firing Jack Kelly. Coaches! 101 will send a letter of notice, with a proclamation asking the City of Jersey City to respect this organization’s wishes – plus allow our principal program to conduct the survey. And then will in three months time, file the petition (none election) on the city removing Jack Kelly from office.

Congressional Tax Cheats 2011

While the Congress debates on what to do with helping the poor -- the members in congress, have one thing on their hands. A lot of them are about helping themselves -- in an era where people have lost their homes, and are losing that right to own a condo. Becaue of serious budget cut -- why are 13 house republicans voting on an amendment that would end the same things they take full advantage of.

As Americans file their taxes in advance of Tax Day, at least 17 House Republicans have current or past tax problems, public records and news reports show. While Republicans lecture Americans about fiscal responsibility, reducing the deficit, and balancing the budget, some of these same House Republicans have failed to fulfill their personal responsibility: paying their taxes. The current and past tax problems of at least 17 House Republicans are an eye-opening demonstration of their hypocrisy. If House Republicans want to be taken seriously about their commitment to fiscal responsibility and balancing the budget, they should start by practicing what they preach.

REPORT: REPUBLICANS WITH TAX PROBLEMS

AL-03: Mike Rogers: Under a special program, District of Columbia taxpayers who own a home in the city and use it as their principal residence receive a $67,500 reduction on the assessed value of their home. In 2009, this deduction would have saved the eligible taxpayer at least $573.75. The program additionally caps the increase of future home assessments, potentially reaping larger savings to the taxpayer over time. In 2009, Roll Call reported that Rogers—who represents Alabama in Congress—improperly received this tax benefit. That year, Rogers’ home was assessed at $747,000, with a taxable value of $680,000.

Although the buyer of a property is required to declare if they are eligible for the exemption, and regularly receive notices about the savings they earn under the deduction, a spokesperson for the D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue claimed that Rogers was receiving the benefit in error and had not applied for it. Roll Call’s examination of sales documents, however, reveal that the Congressman filed contradictory information about his intention to receive the deduction. At the time of the report, D.C.’s Real Property Tax Administration claimed the lawmaker would receive a bill for the back taxes. [Roll Call, 3/25/09]

AZ-01: Paul Gosar: From tax year 1999 to 2009, Gosar paid his property taxes late twelve times and incurred a total of $2,928.06 in interest on his delinquent tax payments. Gosar also paid the property taxes on his dental practice late nine times and incurred $2,798.86 in interest on those late payments. [Coconino County Treasurer, Tax Payments, Parcel 301-23-047, 12/21/99-4/29/10; Parcel 109-07-002A, 12/21/99-5/18/10]

FL-02: Steve Southerland: Steve Southerland was delinquent on his business’s property taxes in '05, '06, '07, '08 and '09. He was forced to pay roughly $2560.00 in late penalties. [McClatchy, 10/11/10, available at: Walton Sun, 10/10/10]

FL-22: Allen West: The IRS filed an $11,000 lien against West for back taxes. Three liens were placed on his home for unpaid bills. [St. Petersburg Times, 8/24/10]

GA-11: Phil Gingrey: Under a special program, District of Columbia taxpayers who own a home in the city and use it as their principal residence receive a $67,500 reduction on the assessed value of their home. In 2009, this deduction would have saved the eligible taxpayer at least $573.75. The program additionally caps the increase of future home assessments, potentially reaping larger savings to the taxpayer over time. In 2009, Roll Call reported that Gingrey—who represents Georgia in Congress—may have improperly received this tax benefit. That year, Gingrey’s house was valued at about $705,000, with a taxable value of $637,000.

In the District, the buyer of a property is required to declare if they are eligible for the exemption. According to Roll Call, “District records show Gingrey’s wife, Billie Gingrey, as the sole purchaser of a three-bedroom row house in 2004.” Gingrey’s spokesman, however, claimed the Congressman may have inadvertently applied for the deduction. The Roll Call article noted that while it is possible for a spouse of a Member of Congress to legally receive this tax benefit, the owner regularly receive notices about the savings they earn under the deduction. [Roll Call, 3/25/09]

IA-05: Steve King: Under a special program, District of Columbia taxpayers who own a home in the city and use it as their principal residence receive a $67,500 reduction on the assessed value of their home. In 2009, this deduction would have saved the eligible taxpayer at least $573.75. The program additionally caps the increase of future home assessments, potentially reaping larger savings to the taxpayer over time. In 2009, Roll Call reported that King—who represents Iowa in Congress—improperly received this tax benefit. That year, King’s home was valued at $388,000, with a taxable value of $308,000.

Although buyers of a property are required to declare if they are eligible for the exemption, and regularly receive notices about the savings they earn under the deduction, King claimed that “the D.C. tax department made a mistake,” a situation that the D.C. Real Property Tax Administration Director Richie McKeithen said could have been a possibility. [Roll Call, 3/25/09]

IL-08: Joe Walsh: According to the Chicago Daily Herald, “Starting in 1992, Walsh was handed several liens for failing to pay state and federal income taxes, together totaling nearly $25,000, according to records from the Cook County Recorder of Deeds. The first lien, in June 1992, was for failing to pay $2,239 in federal income taxes. In June 1994, Walsh was handed a lien for failing to pay $21,566 in federal income taxes, some going as far back as 1985. Six months later, the state placed another lien for Walsh's failure to pay $778 in state income taxes. He eventually paid them off and the last lien cleared in 2001. […] Walsh called the $2,239 and $778 tax liens ‘miscalculations’ on taxes, as far as he and his ex-wife, Laura, can tell. The $21,556 lien, the one that, as Walsh says, ‘jumps out at people,’ comes from failing to pay taxes on an education trust fund set up by his grandfather to pay for his education at Grinnell College and later the University of Iowa in the 1980s. The fifth of nine children, Walsh said his grandfather had set up similar funds for his eight siblings, but said he was the first to ‘get dinged by the IRS […] I had no idea that (money) was taxable,’ he said.” [Chicago Daily Herald, 10/19/10]

IN-09: Todd Young: While Todd Young rails against Washington’s inability to control government spending and get its fiscal house in order, he has repeatedly paid his property taxes late on his property in Bloomington, Indiana. Since 2007, Young has accumulated $2,149.91 in delinquent property taxes and penalties. [Monroe County Treasurer Documents for 2007-2010]

KS-04: Mike Pompeo: Mike Pompeo has tried hard to convince his constituents that Congress needs his business expertise. Yet as of October 26, 2010, one of Mike Pompeo’s companies owed $115,189 in back taxes. Moreover, while he has opposed government involvement in business and the free market, his companies have collected at least $406,100 of taxpayers’ funded subsidies. [Pompeo for Congress Website, accessed on 4/13/10; The Hutchinson News, 10/26/10; Wichita Eagle, 10/25/10]

NH-01: Frank Guinta: In 2008, the Concord Monitor reported that Guinta paid “more than $3,000 in overdue property taxes on investment property” he owned in Manchester, after saying he did not realize the money was owed. In July 2009, the Manchester city tax collector confirmed that Guinta was nearly three months late on paying his sewer bill. [Concord Monitor, 5/22/08; New Hampshire Union Leader, 7/21/09]

NJ-03: Jon Runyan: In 2010, Runyan admitted to failing to pay franchise and property taxes on time. Runyan had been delinquent on roughly $60,000 in property taxes that were owed in quarterly payments on his Mount Laurel home in 2009. Runyan also had a 2007 tax lien placed on a franchise football team in San Diego he had owned. [Philadelphia Inquirer, 5/12/10]

NY-25: Ann Marie Buerkle: Ann Marie Buerkle repeatedly paid school taxes late for her 3779 Underwood Way property in 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. She also repeatedly paid school taxes later for her Skaneateles property in 2000, 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. [Onondaga County Office of Real Property Services, OnGov.net, accessed 3/23/11]

OH-16: Jim Renacci: According to the Associated Press, “The leading GOP challenger to Democratic U.S. Rep. John Boccieri was assessed nearly $1.4 million in unpaid state taxes, interest and fees in 2006 — a finding he fought vigorously but eventually paid. Republican Jim Renacci and his wife Tina filed adjusted gross income in 2000 of negative $247,000 but a state audit calculated the sum at $13.7 million, according to an Associated Press review of public documents. The couple was assessed $954,650 in unpaid taxes, $146,938 in interest, and a $293,876 penalty as a result of the discrepancy.” [AP, 4/14/10]

TX-17: Bill Flores: On May 28, 1998, the State of Indiana placed a $70 tax lien against Western Atlas, Inc. At the time, Bill Flores was the Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Western Atlas, Inc. The lien was satisfied on April 9, 1999. [Indiana Tax Lien, Marion County Circuit Court, Filing # 03048419, 5/28/98; Business Wire, 8/20/97; Oil & Gas Journal, 4/19/99]

TX-23: Quico Canseco: In 1984, Canseco had a federal tax liens and one state tax lien filed against him. The Texas state tax lien, filed on June 27, 1984, amounted to $71.79 and was issued because Canseco failed to pay Unemployment Compensation taxes. Canseco paid and fully satisfied the Texas state tax lien on September 24, 1985. [Webb County Clerk’s Office]

WI-06: Tom Petri: Under a special program, District of Columbia taxpayers who own a home in the city and use it as their principal residence receive a $67,500 reduction on the assessed value of their home. In 2009, this deduction would have saved the eligible taxpayer at least $573.75. The program additionally caps the increase of future home assessments, potentially reaping larger savings to the taxpayer over time. In 2009, Roll Call reported that Petri—who represents Wisconsin in Congress—and his wife improperly received this tax benefit. That year, Petri’s home was assessed at $1.4 million, less than half of its total value.

While a spokesperson for Petri claimed that the Congressman legally received the tax benefit through his spouse, an investigation conducted by Roll Call showed that Petri’s wife is not registered to vote within the city, a requirement for program participation. [Roll Call, 3/25/09]

WV-01: David McKinley: Under David McKinley’s leadership, the West Virginia Republican Party failed to pay its taxes. The IRS had to chase McKinley’s party down for evading taxes and even seized the party’s bank accounts. The Party ran up tens of thousands of dollars of debt to rent office space from McKinley’s architecture and engineering firm. The IRS had to chase McKinley's party down for evading taxes, seized the party’s bank account and demanded it pay back taxes and fines. [Charleston Gazette, 2/10/91; 11/29/94; 11/04/94; 6/16/96]


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