HARVEY, In poor health. (WLS) — Harvey companies say metropolis officers are denying their enterprise licenses and obstructing their storefronts with big concrete blocks to cease them from working. The mayor mentioned it is as a result of they’re delinquent on property taxes, however enterprise house owners say it is not truthful.
On the Harvey Auto Middle, Benecia Gonzalez is blocked from doing enterprise by cement barricades. They even locked them with a lock and chain.
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Town positioned the cement blocks there not too long ago after suspending Gonzalez’s enterprise license. In accordance with letters despatched to the enterprise, licenses have been suspended on account of delinquent property taxes which she and others like Michael Kinsch owe to Cook dinner County, not the town of Harvey. Town does use these taxes for metropolis companies.
“I used to be shocked. They got here in large vehicles. A large crane and 20 folks,” mentioned Kinsch, who’s in the identical scenario at his used automotive lot Michael Motors. There may be additionally a cease-and-desist order posted on his door.
“And it was such an enormous manufacturing to come back and shut us down,” Kinsch mentioned.
Municipalities historically depend on Cook dinner County’s course of to ship delinquent notices and probably promote again taxes sells at a tax sale to patrons who can then put a lien on the property.
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However in Harvey, the town is taking motion. The companies denied licenses pays a $20,000 advantageous to the town for a one-year license, or they may make month-to-month funds that will value as much as $30,000 for a yr. However that cash wouldn’t go in the direction of their delinquent property tax payments, solely the enterprise license which the town says is normally about $250 a yr relying on the dimensions of the enterprise.
Town wouldn’t inform the I-Group what number of different companies have been denied licenses, however mentioned that lots of of business properties are a number of years behind in taxes, owing greater than $12 million in county property taxes.
“As a result of these taxes weren’t paid it grew to become troublesome to run a metropolis and function a metropolis,” mentioned Mayor Chrostopher Clark.
Clark mentioned the town counts on these county property taxes.
READ MORE: Why is your Cook dinner County property tax invoice so excessive? South, southwest suburbs not too long ago reassessed
“When the companies do not pay their property taxes the residents should pay extra,” he mentioned.
And that is why he mentioned the town not too long ago handed a regulation which permits them to disclaim enterprise licenses/ However the regulation doesn’t say something about using concrete barricades.
“I feel it might be the easiest way at that cut-off date. we might use a wide range of ways,” the mayor mentioned in regards to the tactic.
However does that imply the town is robust arming the companies?
“You understand who’s been sturdy armed? The residents of the town of Harvey as a result of they’re dropping properties at an unlimited price as a result of taxes haven’t been paid by these companies…It will get shifted to the owners,” Clark mentioned.
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The mayor’s workplace used their very own digital camera to document our interview. We requested if the extra $20,000 value for a enterprise license would simply put these enterprise house owners thus far behind they will by no means catch up.
“As soon as once more in the event that they have been a superb company citizen within the first place and did what they have been speculated to do, they might have paid their taxes already and if that they had paid their taxes, they would not be on this scenario,” the mayor mentioned.
Gonzalez mentioned she’s not too long ago paid a big steadiness of her late property taxes, however an enormous invoice was left behind when she inherited the store.
“How are we going to make the cash to pay them? How are we going to make the cash to even pay our property taxes,” she mentioned.
The enterprise house owners say they’re going to by no means atone for their taxes in the event that they pay their fines. That is coming at a time when property taxes and assessments have skyrocketed within the south suburbs.
Harvey’s mayor mentioned he is unaware of every other suburbs taking this motion.
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