Tim Bonham: "Having worked at Hennepin County Data Processing, where the 'secret formula' is applied to property, I can assure you that the Property Information database has no fields telling the party affiliation of either the property or the owner of the property."
Vicky Heller: I hope other readers understood my post. I refer solely to the MINNEAPOLIS property database, not Hennepin County's. I refer solely to VALUATIONS, not the application of rates. Save these links: Hennepin County: http://www2.co.hennepin.mn.us/pins/addrsrch.jsp Minneapolis: http://apps.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/pi.app/address_selection/address.asp These are two completely SEPARATE databases. Each one is very expensive to maintain, and we don't need both of them. Example of the day: In December 1988, the MCDA purchased Riverside Plaza from HUD for $15 million. Simultaneously, the MCDA pocketed $2 million and sold the BUILDINGS ONLY to George Sherman, et al. for $17 million. The MCDA retained ownership of the land, which was appraised at a value of $62 per foot, $20 million. The bogus appraisal was needed to get a HUD guaranteed mortgage for $27.6 million. [Note: HUD admitted over-mortgaging the property when State Auditor Arne Carlson questioned the transaction.] Fast forward to 1998: The MCDA tries to sell the land to Sherman et al. for $6 per foot, but I was able to stop the sale at that time. Fast forward to today: The Hennepin County site shows the MCDA as the owner of the land. The City's site shows Sherman et al. as the owner of the land. I don't know which one is correct, but I suspect that the City eventually did sell the land to Sherman, and did not notify the County. Relevant note: Riverside Plaza pays lower property taxes today that we did 33 years ago, despite the fact that its rental income has more than tripled. Important note: I hope readers are beginning to see that Minneapolis taxpayers have been buying assets for multi-millionaires for many years. SUMMARY and opinion: If Minneapolis is allowed to determine its own VALUATIONS for property tax purposes, the opportunity for fraud, corruption, and favoritism will remain WIDE OPEN. Reducing the value of property is an easy way to give public cash to political friends. This sort of corruption is very difficult to detect. I think Minneapolis should shut down the Assessor's office and let the County do what it is supposed to do. The money saved should be used for Police, Fire, Streets, etc. Vicky Heller North Oaks and Cedar-Riverside REMINDERS: 1. Think a member has violated the rules? Email the list manager at [EMAIL PROTECTED] before continuing it on the list. 2. Don't feed the troll! Ignore obvious flame-bait. For state and national discussions see: http://e-democracy.org/discuss.html For external forums, see: http://e-democracy.org/mninteract ________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Un-subscribe, etc. at: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
