Honesty and Integrity Missing In Lisbon Management

WHERE IS THE JUSTICE?????

Late August early September 2012, I started to review the town’s Real Estate Commitment dbase on line.  During by review I discovered, LaRochelle Properties, LLC was receiving a “Homestead Exemption” on the properties at 140 Main Street, Lisbon Falls.   This did not appear to be correct so I asked the Assessing Department if this was correct and was told it was correct.  I then called the State of Maine Taxation Bureau and asked how a LLC could qualify for a “Homestead Exemption”?  The Taxation Bureau informed me that a LLC does not qualify for this exemption.  I then notified our town Assessing Office and was told the state had already notified the town of this error.

On September 4, 2012, I notified the town council of this problem and requested the town determine how much money was owed to the town by the LLC for taking this exemption illegally.  On September 18, 2012, I asked the town council for an update on this situation.  According to the town manager, the town was working with the state on this issue.  I have no idea what that meant since the state had notified the town of the error for correction.  Since September 18, 2012, there has been no update on this situation by the town so on December 31, 2012 I submitted a Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) asking for the total amount of back taxes owed to the town by the LLC.  The reply from the town is below:

As you can see, the town has done nothing in four months to identify the total amount owed by LaRochelle Properties, LLC and will only get to it as time and staff permit.  I find this to be typical when it involves a “Good Old Boy”.  However, if it involved a taxpayer such as Reginald Thiboutot, whose house the town took for back taxes and burnt it to the ground or James Morreale, who wanted to pay his back taxes and the town refused to accept his money.  Also, remember the goat rope Roger Cote had with the town over a screw-up by the town on his Excise Tax.  The town involved the Sheriff’s department before forcing Mr. Cote to pay his back Excise tax.  The town goes to great lengths to recoup back taxes from taxpayers but not from one of the “Good Old Boys”.  If you are in the click, the town is willing to forget most anything.

 Lisbon Town Council Chairman Fern Larochelle

One would think as the Chairman of the Town Council, Fern LaRochelle would want to set the example for the residents of Lisbon.  The right course of action would have been to admit there was a mistake made 14 years ago by the town; that LaRochelle Properties, LLC will make this right and pay back all past due taxes.  Instead, Chairman LaRochelle has said nothing and done nothing to correct this situation.  In my personal opinion, this clearly demonstrates the lack of honesty and integrity by our town council.  Why do we have to keep bringing these type of situations up over and over again?  The town is still trying to recoup the $32,500 misappropriated from the town since 2007 and we never get any update on this either.

Wouldn’t it be nice if our elected officials would always do what is right?

Larry Fillmore

Concerned Citizen