Desert Local News - Index

Desert Local News - Desert Local News 'weekly' on demand print March 6th edition - Index

frontpage story
Greedy Contrator:
Has Assessor Run-Amuck
By Kevin Harmon
Who can image a sevenfold
increase in their property taxes
after living in the same property,
unchanged and unsold, since
1954? “Outrageous!” you say?
“Unbelievable” you say? It’s
‘outrageously unbelievable’ as
only the confluence of a greedy
builder and an uncaring government
can create.
This is the case for three
property owners in one of Palm
Springs oldest historical neighborhoods.
The Crossley Tract, next to
the Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort,
was Indian land purchased by
Lawrence Crossley (an African-
American) in the 1940’s to provide
affordable housing for his
family and other working-class
families which was rare, then, as
it is now.34th Ave. and Golf Club
Drive was at the far reaches of the
city and made it undesirable for
prestige development at the time.
We know how that’s changed.
In 2003 Kenneth Stemmer, one
of the Valley’s most active developers,
had plans to buy up about
thirty ‘tear-down’ lots and upgrade
the area with new homes.
Before the project could begin
city planning told Mr. Stemmer
that lot number corrections
were needed. These lots had been
mis-marked originally and were
off by one digit in their parcel
description. This had to be cor-
Windermere
rected to get clear title before
the project could go forward. In
his expediency, Stemmer failed
in his fiduciary responsibility to
tell three senior citizen property
owners of the tax ramifications
to convey ownership (uncompensated)
to fix his problem and
caused a reassessment of these
old properties, which resulted in
this outrageously unfair increase
for law-abiding elderly on fixed
incomes.
Debbie McGowan
REALTOR® Associate
Business (760) 329-3130
Fax (760) 329-2550
Cell (760) 774-3557
E-mail debbmcgowan@aol.com
Windermere Real Estate Coachella Valley
66337 Pierson Boulevard
Desert Hot Springs, California 92240
www.windermerecoachellavalley.com
After two years of fighting with
the Assessor’s Office, the County
Title Office, County Treasury
and seeking the assistance of
County Supervisor Marion Ashley’s
office all seem powerless or
unwilling to undo this injustice
against these most vulnerable
city residences. Is it any wonder
law-abiding citizen have lost
confidence in their government at
all levels.
More
prolems
with
‘Shilla’
By Dean Gray period the amount of checks
More problems plague the written exceeded the amount
Hotel Shilla in Desert Hot in the bank by several hun-
Springs as a variety of allegadred dollars.”
tions stir the air. At issue are
At least one other has
accusations of unpaid wages filed a claim with the Depart-
on top of recent disclosures of ment of Labor. According to
unpaid taxes.
O’Hagan, other unpaid wage
Tae Young Jang, also claims may be on the horizon.
known as “Mr. T” as he pre- If claims prove true, Jang will
fers to be called, is owner of have to make good on paying
the Hotel and a native Korean for hours worked plus a pen-
accused of not paying workalty. Personal loans unpaid are
ers.
also documented. The total
Last week several local amount owed is in excess of
workers filed claims with the $50,000.
Department of Labor against
Jang admits he is a first
the company. Hotel manage- time hotel operator lacking
ment appears understaffed experience in the industry,
and unwilling to comment.
having bought the troubled
Former General Man- Desert Hot Springs hotel just
ager Glenn O’Hagan claims last year. Jang’s other Ameri-
to have not been paid wages can business experience is
earned. Said O’Hagan, “I was a family operated mortgage
not paid as per our agreement business and a minority inter-
and I intend to get my pay. I est in a flooring installation
invested my heart in that busi- company, both in Virginia. He
ness. Getting fired came com- has had no previous experipletely
out of the blue. There ence in the hospitality indus-
was just no reason for it.”
try or hotel management.
Former Bookkeeper Mark
Jang has not paid the
Stokes also has filed a claim monthly Transient Occupancy
with the Department of Labor Tax to the City of Desert Hot
attesting his wages were also Springs, instead using it for
not paid. “It hurts to be fired extensive renovations and im-
suddenly for no reason from a provement projects for the ho-
job I love. But to not get paid tel. DHS City Manager Rick
is even worse.”
Daniels states, “the City fully
Stokes said, “The last pay intends to collect the money.”
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