City Council candidate Rick Torres on Thursday paid an outstanding personal property tax balance of $2,384 for his popular Harborview Market, an amount he says is in dispute. “We don’t cheat on taxes,” he told OIB, sending an image of a receipt as proof the bill was paid Thursday morning after notified about the balance. Torres wondered about the timing of the tax issue less than two weeks from the general election in a hotly contested council district that covers Black Rock and a portion of the West End.
Torres says between his home in Black Rock and Harborview Market, he and his wife pay roughly $30,000 a year in total taxes. Torres, two-time Republican mayoral candidate and his running mate Phil Blagys are challenging Democratic incumbents Sue Brannelly and Steven Stafstrom. Supporters of Mayor Bill Finch are working to return the Democrats to office. Brannelly serves as co-chair of the council’s Budget and Appropriations Committee. The next two budget cycles are key for Finch as he positions for reelection in 2015.
Torres explained personal property taxes for Harborview Market are generally paid by his accountant and there was some question whether tax payments had been applied correctly. He said he was advised by the tax collector’s office if the disputed tax balance goes his way a credit would be applied to the January bill. Torres also wondered if there was equal treatment about tax payments when it comes to connected party politicians in the city.
Torres and Blagys and Brannelly and Stafstrom engaged in a lively forum Wednesday night at the Black Rock Branch library. Look for a few more charges and counter charges in the last days of the campaign.
City Council candidate Rick Torres, C’MON MAN that’s municipal election class 101, make sure your taxes are paid then check your opponent’s taxes and go after then for not paying their taxes. If there was some question whether tax payments had been applied correctly you should have brought it up months ago, C’MON MAN.
Sorry Ron, it sounds like Chicago politics 101. Last-minute claims of one party running for office against another. And it’s not just Dems vs Reps. They did it to Hillary in 2007 and she never knew what hit her.
Bob, like I said it’s municipal election class 101 and Rick Torres didn’t know how to get ahead of whatever you want to call it.
I do not think anyone supporting Rick Torres will hold this against him. When you consider the SCUM OF the earth that think they are going to consider running for Mayor again or the socially challenged corrupt individuals sitting on boards who also do not live in the City, I think Rick Torres is an honorable man. He owns a business in this city. He pays taxes in this city. He has people earning wages at his business. It may be politics 101 but I do not think anyone believes Rick was avoiding any payment to the City. Let’s move on. Tomorrow it will be old news.
I am sure Rick pays his taxes and this was just an election ploy thought up by ? … Hmmm, could I say DiNardo?
Black Rockin, you miss my point. I’m sure Rick pays his taxes and this was an election ploy. Rick Torres has been in the election field for a long time yet he didn’t understand he needed to get ahead of this ploy. Like I said, this is municipal election 101 and Rick Torres FAILED that course and he has NO ONE to blame but Rick Torres. Rick should have been checking on his opponents’ taxes.
*** Blame the active voters and those who don’t vote at all for the mess we’re in and the pols who got us there, no? ***
Just ask past employees if they ever got paid under the table, that should settle it.