Tax assessor chairman hasn’t paid ‘08 taxes

MadisonJournalTODAY

RSS Feed

Email Alerts

Facebook

Tax assessor chairman hasn’t paid ‘08 taxes

Posted by

Zach Mitcham

in News

Friday, July 24. 2009

Comments (22)

The man leading the local tax assessment board hasn’t paid his taxes for 2008, according to a county government website.

According to madison.paytaxes.net, which includes records for all Madison County property owners, BOA chairman David Ragland owes a total of $1,706.82 in taxes for four pieces of property. The four Brickyard Road properties in Comer are in conservation use, including parcels of 11.86, 13.55, 29.82 and 1.34 acres.

Ragland is currently fighting his termination as a BOA member. The county commissioners voted in April to remove Ragland and three other assessor board members.

Contacted Monday, Ragland had no comment on his tax situation.

Bills for 2008 property taxes were due March 24.

The Journal reviewed property records for the county assessors, county commissioners, school board, industrial authority, constitutional officers and city councils. The review was done to see if local officials are paying their taxes in a timely manner.

Two members of the county industrial authority, who are both in the real etate business, were listed on the county website this week as delinquent for 2008. But after being contacted about listings of over $14,000 in taxes Monday, Gerry Burdette had his taxes paid in full by Tuesday morning.

Bruce Azevedo, who has five taxed properties in the county, paid $1,687 on Feb. 16 for one tract. But he is listed as owing a total of $9,719 on the remaining four tracts.

“I’m going to have mine paid by the end of the month,” said Azevedo.

Two city officials were listed on the website as owing a total of $8.84 in taxes, but tax commissioner Louise Watson said that listing was a mistake and no money was owed.

Watson said the county has collected 89.68 percent of taxes for 2008, leaving $1, 698,456 to be paid. The county has collected 95.91 percent of taxes billed for 2007.

Trackbacks

Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments

Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

#1 Anon on 07/25/09 at 02:44 PM [Reply]

What a story. Three well known men involved in our county government haven't paid their taxes. At least two of them when called on the issue are making it right and the third has no comment! It appears Mr. Ragland, and I use that term loosley, has no comment. Now this is the same man that has ascended to the position of BOA chairman rather quickly, sits in a position of authority, rules over all of us taxpayers, that pay on time, and he hasen't paid his taxes and has a 10 year history of paying late!! What a sorry hypocrite! He has the gall to sue the BOC over his termination and yet can't or won't pay his taxes. There is no man in you Mr. Ragland. You are a two faced hypocrite. You have caused this county and us on time tax payers much money for no valid reason. Your goal it appears is to futher your own agenda, whatever that may be at anyone's expense that gets in your way. How can you continue to hold this postion and conduct your useless BOA meeting's when you yourself have unpaid taxes? The thing that keeps coming to mind is your statement to Chairman Dove that our tax digest would be out on time, well where's the digest? Nothing else good can be said about you!

#1.1 Randy on 07/26/09 at 09:11 PM [Reply]

I told Mr. Ragland he had sown it, and that he would reap it. Thanks to Madison County Journal for shining some light on some of the corrupt individuals in MC government.

#1.1.1 Madison County on 07/27/09 at 09:45 PM [Reply]

A message to "Deadbeat" David Ragland,

PAY UP...PAY YOUR TAXES!

#2 Conservation tax status on 07/26/09 at 11:38 AM [Reply]

4 parcels in conservation status. One less than 2 acres. Great tax break while others pay their fair share. Panel needs to be set up and review all parcels that in conservation status. If do not meet criteria set by state then they are removed. I find this not paying taxes offensive as many others do. Good reporting job.

Maybe someone from Attroney's General office or even MC Grand Jury needs to look into conservation tax breaks and see if fairly applied.

#3 ? MC taxpayor on 07/26/09 at 03:35 PM [Reply]

Would newspaper check on BOA members for last 2 years for example and note who on this BOA has their home / properties in conservation tax reduction plan and if any of the properties are used for non agricultural business such as a home where real estate business done which mentioned in article above that some members do. Would real estate in your home as a business get you this break if just growing trees and no proof of selling timber off tract in past or planting trees on property ?

#4 Anonymous on 07/26/09 at 04:21 PM [Reply]

You must have a slight dislikement for our BOA chairman......sounds more personal to me.

#4.1 Hello there on 07/27/09 at 08:29 AM [Reply]

You must be a friend or are you that person. Initial post good and clear to all. " Do as I say and not as I do " is so so so in the past. What is up with this conservation tax and this person not paying taxes on time ?

#4.2 harpazo on 07/27/09 at 09:30 AM [Reply]

news is news and Mr Ragland is in the news, so since the taxpayers fund the website and it is open, public information, the newspaper is doing its job. In an important sense the article also informs the citizenry that this mechanism is available to all who want to check via appropriate means. It IS public information and information has no like or dislike. It just is. I thank the newspaper for the information.

It would be just as easy for citizens like you to say that practically any news article is about like or dislike. Try this exercise with any headline followed by your comment:
"Dills pleads guilty" = "You must have a slight dislikement for our Ms Dills......sounds more personal to me."

"Cox hired as county clerk" = 'You must have a slight dislikement for our Mr Cox......sounds more personal to me.'

See? News is news. It is not personal.

#5 OnTimeTaxPAYER on 07/26/09 at 05:28 PM [Reply]

It isn't a requirement to serve on the Board of Assessors that you have to pay your property taxes and pay them ON TIME!?

If it isn't (I think it is), it should be...effective immediately.

Ragland has lost all credibility. This will be a major distraction from now on, even if he pays them. I know I would be bringing this issue up when I have business before the Board of Assessors!

Mr. Ragland, you haven't even paid your taxes, do you not see you are embarrassing yourself?

Amazing.

#5.1 OnTimeTax Payer on 07/30/09 at 10:37 AM [Reply]

I bet this is the only time David Ragland will keep his big mouth shut.....but then again I will probally be wrong about this. I try to see thing from his point of veiw but I can't get my head that far up my own rear end!!!!

#6 DC on 07/26/09 at 05:32 PM [Reply]

WHOAAA - HOLD ON! How is it that the Chariman of the BOA has a 1.34 acre parcel in CONSERVATION?

My 9 acre WORKING FARM was turned down because I was told it was TOO SMALL!

And David Ragland has NO COMMENT? He has had no trouble RUNNING HIS MOUTH until now!

David Ragland, you OWE this community a COMMENT on how the heck you have a 1.34 acre parcel in CONSERVATION!!!

#6.1 Taxed on 07/26/09 at 08:52 PM [Reply]

I have no comment on Mr. Ragland's situation because I don't know any facts about it. However, I sympathize with your being upset because your 9 acre farm was turned down because you were told it was too small, and you need to know that the 10-acre minimum size was set up by the Board of Commissioners, NOT the Board of Assessors. You also need to know that there are loopholes to most everything, INCLUDING the above ruling. With regard to your 9-acre working farm, you need to go to the CHIEF APPRAISER's office and see if he will tell you about loopholes that would benefit you, for instance "preferential status".

#6.2 To Whoa Whoa on 07/27/09 at 08:33 AM [Reply]

Great view. This is why conservation tax breaks need reviewing for all those passed in last 2 years in my view. 9 acre working farm turned down ? What about people not farming who getting this break. Insulting. Grand Jury time.

#7 Terry on 07/26/09 at 05:38 PM [Reply]

Needless to say, I don't think Mr. Ragland is going to prevail in his lawsuit now. You should give serious consideration to leaving this county, Ragland. You have made yourself pretty much despised throughout Madison County. Corrupt people like you are what is wrong with govt. Get out, and stay out.
Keep in mind that if you were in an elected position, you would have already been thrown out.

#8 Taxpayor for MC on 07/27/09 at 10:50 AM [Reply]

" loopholes that would benefit you, for instance "preferential status".

YES : this is the problem with our country. Loopholes and perferential status treatment if you know how to do this.

Personal responsibility guess thing of past to some I guess.

#8.1 Taxed on 07/27/09 at 04:30 PM [Reply]

I am totally AGAINST loopholes -- the law should be the law! However, if there are loopholes available, "DC" with his 9-acre farm is just as deserving to get to use them as anybody else. Unfortunately, the "little guy" doesn't always know to ask. So ask, "DC"!

#8.1.1 Taxed on 07/29/09 at 09:31 AM [Reply]

Here's one more thought for you, "DC" -- it seems like when you were told that your 9 acres were too small for conservation status, whoever told you should have then told you about "preferential".

I would be willing to bet that you had no idea to ask beyond conservation status, and why should you? Most of us aren't experts on stuff like that. But supposedly that is why governmental offices exist -- to serve the public -- so you should have been told without having to ask further, if it was information that would be helpful to you, the taxpayer.

#8.1.2 ? for Taxed on 7/27/09 on 07/29/09 at 11:35 AM [Reply]

Are you on the BOA ? Who would I call if I have this issue also ?

#8.1.2.1 Taxed on 07/29/09 at 03:20 PM [Reply]

No, I'm not on the BOA. I'm just one of the "little people" who likes to be done right and see all the other "little people" done right too. To answer your question, you should go to the assessors' office and ask your question of the Chief Appraiser. He is supposed to be there to serve you with complete and accurate information.

#9 MCtaxpayor on 08/08/09 at 10:17 AM [Reply]

Now get new BOA. Will Ragland's conserxation land tax break be looked at to see if meets the needs to be in this.

#9.1 recordchecker on 08/11/09 at 04:31 PM [Reply]

could be this (ant) the firs year mr ragland was late
paying his taxes. just think how bad and how much he
would be late on if his property wasn't in consevation.

Add Comment

Name
Email
Homepage
In reply to
Comment: E-Mail addresses will not be displayed and will only be used for E-Mail notifications.

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.

Enter the string from the spam-prevention image above:
Phone*

What is nine minus four?
: Remember Information? Subscribe to this entry
: Submitted comments will be subject to moderation before being displayed.

Community

Madison Community

Tax assessor chairman hasn’t paid ‘08 taxes

MadisonJournalTODAY

Tax assessor chairman hasn’t paid ‘08 taxes

Recent Stories

Recent Comments

Sister Sites

Archives

Community

Keyword Tags