Ben Nelson is wasting your tax dollars.
Nelson admitted last week that the primary use for his Sarpy County hunting retreat is not agricultural. He later said, he didn’t know anything about the Greenbelt designation that gave him up to a $4,000 tax break for each of the last seven years, after he signed two separate documents stating that the land was for agricultural use. But he followed up by saying he would pay IF the Sarpy County Assessor found that it didn’t have an agricultural use. IF!
Here’s our question: Why wait for the Assessor, Senator?
You know that it’s not for agricultural use. You know that you owe the money. But instead of telling the Assessor that the check is in the mail, you have the Assessor driving around wasting tax dollars.
Nelson made Sarpy County Assessor Dan Pittman drive out to Nelson’s property, in a County vehicle, with gas burning at three bucks a gallon, only to have him stand outside Nelson’s giant “N” gate, because Pittman couldn’t get inside to take a look at the land. (Senator Loses Tax Break – KMTV – 8/7/06.)
Sarpy Co. Assessor wastes his time at Nelson's hunting retreat
Pittman finally made a decision, went back to his office and took the time to write a letter to Nelson (we’ll assume that included the money for stationery, stamp and the time for an assistant to put it all together an mail it) informing Nelson of what we’ve ALL known – you, me, Nelson, Nelson’s Senate staff, Nelson’s campaign staff – that the land is NOT Greenbelt land. And now Pittman has to wait for Nelson’s response. (Tax reduction for Nelson could be reversed – OWH – 8/8/06.)
What’s the hold up here, and why is this even happening? Nelson was wrong and owes the money. At this point, we don’t even have an apology. And the County Assessor is traipsing all over the county, meeting with reporters, taking calls, when none of this should be happening.
Is this good government? Is this what we expect from our elected officials?
How much more money are you going to take from Sarpy County, Senator Nelson?
(And on a separate note: If it had been Pete Ricketts who pulled a stunt like this, Nelson and his Democrat henchmen would be out with ads from Dr. Seuss, Dora the Explorer and Clifford the Big Red Dog by now. Just to add a little perspective.)
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Just thought I'd point this out, but please don't let facts get in the way of a good story:
Ben Nelson, yesterday: “It is my understanding that you don’t think (the property) qualifies for the designation. I accept that. Please send me the necessary paperwork so I can settle this matter.”
http://www.journalstar.com/articles/2006/08/07/local/doc44d7f0e39170c148787112.txt
That's cute, but let's not let the fact that Nelson cheated on his taxes for the past seven years, then made the County Assessor do a song and dance before he SAYS he will pay his taxes get in the way of your spin on this. Nelson could have settled this the day this "good story" came out. He chose not to. And we'll see what the total amount on that check is...
yes - god forbid the assessor do his job and actually look at property. god forbid the same assessor who signed off on the designation seven years ago and hasn't done a thing about it first actually go to the property. you don't know that he even contacted nelson to visit the property.
but of course, he did manage to contact ch. 3. how ironic that he didn't feel the need to do shit about this issue until three months before an election? and days after visits from ricketts campaign officials. FYI - the property had greenbelt before nelson bought, pittman even said so. but nelson is being treated differently becuase of the partisan agenda of this republican elected official. can you find one other instance of an assessor going out to someone's property in teh middle of the year accompanied by tv news cameras? give me a break.
pittman said on ch. 3 that nelson made an honest mistake. he made a mistake and is now making it right. what is your problem? i cant' believe you are snipping about a stamp, a sheet of paper and probably a tenth of a gallon of gas.
you know, if you want to be outraged, be outraged on behalf of sarpy county voters who are seeing their elected officials pressured by the republican machine. that's linehan's way isn't it. first kate witek, now pittman.
The former Governor and then U.S. Senator puts his signature down on two separate documents, swearing that the information is accurate, that he deserves a tax break because the land is for ag use, and you come in here and blame the Assessor?
Not to mention that staffers from both parties were pouring through the records. Strange that with that same information, Nelson didn’t come out in front of this, once he HAD decided to review the documents that he himself had signed. But considering you think Nelson is the victim here, you wouldn’t find that strange in any case.
And not knowing the details, I think it’s unlikely that Pittman called Joe Jordan, instead of the other way around, but you can quiz Jordan on that.
And feel free to watch again, but Joe Jordan called it an "honest mistake", not Pittman. Nelson is a lawyer, the former Governor and a Senator; he should know better than to sign a bogus document.
Pittman himself said he wasn’t pressured, and in any case, he shouldn’t have had to feel any. Nelson should have called him and sent him check without all this jacking around.
And all this “pressure” will be netting the people of Sarpy Co. at least another $14,000, that was theirs all along.
What's more funny is the fact that Nelson supposedly doesn't even know what kind of taxes he is paying on his land from his own checkbook. Talk about mis-management and absolute irresponsibility. How can he be doing a good job managing Nebraska's interests in DC when he can't even manage his own assets at home? I'm guessing he's let a lot slip through the cracks.
Or is it maybe when you are so rich you could care less what kind of taxes you pay? Million dollar Ben, a fiscally irresponsible and wasteful Democrat. Not a centrist. A Democrat.
What a bunch of baloney. Jeez Sweeper I guess you didn't see the Nelson press release friday night - 24 hours before the news broke - that laid out what was happening.
So, he got out in front of it as you say he should. He immediately agreed with the assessor. and it seems he agreed to pay taxes without a site visit.
But the site visit was mostly for media and for the Republican assessor that has turned his office into the ricketts campaign sarpy county HQ.
But Nelson cheated right. He filled out a form seven years ago when he bought the property. the designation is carried over automatically and approved by Pittman(according to your staffer doubling as an assessor in Sarpy). Pittman sits on his duff for seveny years and acts only when LouAnn tells him to act. And Ben Nelson is the cheater. that's rich.
and Joe jordan said Pittman said it was an honest mistake. but funny how you try to obfuscate that fact - I guess Joe Jordan is good enough to serve as your media bitch but then not credible when he does it?
your spinning so hard we should drop you in ANWR you disengenuous propaganda artist.
as for Bulldog - what say you about the 1600 other Sarpy County residents with the same designaiton as Nelson? Should Pittman take Joe Jordan to their properties? if they aren't growing corn are they "cheaters" too? Bulldog, you should go by your real name from now on: Bull SHIT
You guys are playing a dangerous game. What's pete going to do when properties all over the county get reassessed because hesent his thugs into the assessors office to turn it into a GOP party office? He will have hell to pay when this spills over into private folks property - its one thing to go after Nelson but you've probably triggered a domino effect that Pete is going ot have a tough time explaining.
Nice rant. Swear in your post again, and it won't get published.
Nelson's said he would pay "IF" the assessor found the land wasn't used for Ag purposes.
We stand by everything stated.
Hey I think Bullmanure thinks Ben Nelson cheated on his taxes.Did I get that straight or was I mistaken? I'm so wasted on the bong I wasn't sure of exactly what his point is. It'll be really funny when the Tax Cheat (D-Ne)sends the bored rich kid (R-Ne) back to Ameristar or wherever it is Dad hands out the money. (Yeah BM, I know it's Ameritrade you dope)
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