Here are the numbers listed on the Resolution approved
by the Lodi mayor and council for Block 174.01, Lot 11.02. It’s showing an original assessment of $0 for
land and $8,735,000 for improvements.
Here is what
the tax records show for the same block and lot:
If you look
beyond the specific Block 174.01, Lot 11.02 tax card, and look at all 4 properties appearing
for JMP on Essex Street, the numbers on the tax judgment resolution
still don’t add up.
All
properties show that JMP purchased the properties for $3,600,000 on December 9,
2011 from the Bank of New York. In 2011, the
real estate market was really battered.
Since then, property values have increased drastically. Essex Street is prime location. Is JMP being assessed at $1,450,000 for something he paid $3,600,000 in 2011? It's hard to understand what is going on when the mayor and council provide so many conflicting numbers on their resolutions.
The public
has the right to know all details for this $216,765.15 tax refund. What was the REAL original assessment? How many blocks and lots were involved? Did Alan Spiniello defend Lodi’s interests or advocate for
the interests of the wealthy developer? What
evidence was submitted by JMP to the County to have his assessment reduced
from $8,735,000 to $1,450,000? What
evidence was submitted by Alan Spiniello to counter it? Being Alan Spiniello works very closely with
Joseph Marino, the developer of Main Street, could he or anyone else be
objective in the matter?
Did Tony
Luna lobby anyone in the borough hall for this massive tax refund? Why did the mayor and council accept the judgment
and not appeal?
Why wasn’t
an agenda posted for the December 11, 2018 executive meeting where this should
have been discussed? Why are the
executive meetings taking place at Caruso’s conference table upstairs in a small
office instead of at a public venue? Why
did the mayor and council move their regular meeting from 7 PM to 5 PM and not
post that notice on the borough website?
Why are they holding more and more public meetings at 5 PM when many
people aren’t even home from work yet at that time?
