By Dalia Diaz
Sometimes, politicians do not run for office for money but for the potential contacts they can make and the influence they can have or exert on others.
Considering that Lawrence is less than 7 square miles, one may think it’s easily manageable and controlled, but no! Residents are kept ignorant of the way the city functions and the few trying to ask questions, are made to go through hoops and insist in order to get what they requested.
Going through the proper channels, I requested under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents on properties owned by District B City Councilor Estela Reyes showing the last three-year’ property tax payments. Having sent a reminder that they were due, it took a month to get them. Requests under a FOIA should be delivered within 10 working days.
The purpose was to check on the payment status of her properties and the payment plan she had mentioned to repay the arrears. What they show was interesting, indeed.
The payment plan for delinquent real estate taxes was established on November 1, 2018 to allow delinquent taxes, interest and charges to be paid on an installment basis. Fair enough if it’s going to be applied equally to all residents. Read on!
Councilor Reyes agreed to make regular payments of $1,283.71 no later than the 15th of each month for 12 months in order to satisfy arrears in the amount of $12,744.32.
Those payments should be made while “future taxes/sewer/trash charges must be paid in full when such amounts become due and payable or the terms of this agreement are null and void.”
That means that skipping payments on other properties would cancel out the payment plan.
While on a payment plan, “the City agrees to not deny, revoke, or suspend local licenses and permits…”
“Also, in consideration of making full and timely payments, the Treasurer agrees to not file a petition to foreclose its tax title lien in the Land Court.” But if the Taxpayer fails to make payments are required and he/she is in default, the City may proceed to collect taxes, interest and charges in any possible way.
These are the properties owned by Councilor Reyes or her associates:
Address Taxable valuation
36 E Haverhill St. (her home) $453,100
73 – 75 Abbott St. $497,200
1 – 7 Lea St. $513,900
173 – 175 Haverhill St. $271,900
92 Oak St. (land) $3,400
The first three properties were always paid on time but 173 – 175 Haverhill St. shows that since she purchased it in 2014, she had made no tax payments. By December 1, 2017, the City decided to put a lien on that building and she was granted a payment plan of $408 each month.
Councilor Reyes made a payment of $408 on 8/30, 10/4 and 12/16 during 2017. Then, in 2018, the payments were on 1/5, 2/2, 6/5, 7/16 and 9/13. As we can see, she was not abiding by the terms on the plan of making monthly payments.
Rather than taking possession of the property, the City gave her another payment plan and deleted the old one; this time paying $1,283.71. I wonder if any other resident has been granted such courtesy.
Curiously, the record they sent me does not list 2019 as seen on the other properties and there is doubt if it lists another lien as the City is supposed to enter whenever granting a payment plan.
City Councilor Estela Reyes has shown total disregard for her responsibilities as a taxpayer confident that her status and influence will make her above all of us. Records show that she has had liens placed on 8/27/2001 at 73 – 75 Abbott St.; on 12/1/2017 at 173 – 175 Haverhill St.; on 3/16/2018 at 73-75 Abbott St.; and on 7/20/2018 at 36 E Haverhill St.
With that record of payment, the City should have taken possession of the eyesore on Haverhill St. and demolished it. Probably, she expected the OIiver School renovations to begin long ago and she would have made a bundle selling that building to the city by now.
That’s what bothers me about politicians: They are not embarrassed to have the media publish their dirty deeds because they have no shame. They are not after the $15,000 annual salary from serving in the City Council but the political favors and financial gains such as what she has been getting.
