Wellington has owned K-Park for many years. As a government entity, the village paid no taxes when the parcel was not being used. In 2011, the village leased the property to an organic farmer as an agricultural farm. The taxes amounted to $21,924. As a commercial designation, the taxes would amount to $183,407.
A series worthy of Laurel and Hardy followed. It was necessary for our attorney to write a lease, but no one seems to know if he notified staff that an exemption was needed in order to classify the property as agricultural, not commercial. The preliminary bill was sent to our old building, instead of the new facility. A volunteer (no one seems to know who) signed for it, but no one knows where it is. Since no one told the tax collector the property was to be classified agricultural, a bill for a commercial property was issued for $183,407, and it was paid in March.
Now for the best part — no one is trying to get our money back! The property is agricultural. It is not, nor was it ever, commercial. How can the village be charged for something that the property never was? It is a minor error that can and should be corrected. If you make an error on your income tax and the IRS notices that you paid too much, they will automatically send you a refund check. Or, if you call the IRS and point out an error, they will refund the overpayment.
The county has no right to overcharge Wellington. Get our money back, even if you have to sue. We are good at suing.
Morley Alperstein, Wellington
