DNC missuse of taxpayers fuel
More bias and favoritism comes out of Denver City Hall as it was announced that the DNC committee will now pay thier fair share of taxes on fuel. Before this announcement. The commitee was getting fuel from the Denver fuel farm. In other words they were paying no taxes on the fuel they used.
Arrogantly Public Works spokeswoman Christine Downs told City Council members just hours before the city made thier announcment, that host committee members were fueling up at the city pumps. The city does not pay taxes on the fuel for its fleet, and Downs said the host committee would not either.
This practice, which began four months ago, may have ended hours after its disclosure. An aide to Mayor John Hickenlooper released a statement Tuesday evening saying that Denver 2008 Host Committee members would pay the market prices for fuel and would also be liable for all applicable taxes.
Nonprofits organizations, such as the host committee, are subject to state and federal gasoline taxes, according to the Department of Revenue. This disclosure brought immediate scrutiny from Colorado Attorney General John Suthers. Who said the practice "would seem" to be illegal and referred the matter to the state Department of Revenue.
The issue arose during the regular weekly meeting of Mayor Hickenlooper and City Council members. Downs requested authorization for a contract so the Public Works Department could be reimbursed by the host committee for use of "fueling facilities, fuel and car washes."
Downs said the contract with the host committee started in March and that $9,700 in fuel and services had been purchased from the city so far. But the committee has yet to be billed. The city anticipates $466,125 in total revenues from the contract, Downs said. Which makes one wonder why no payment has been made as to date. A contract started in March , used but no payments made as yet. This adds cediance to the belief that elected officials and their beurocrats cannot handle money.
Several City Council members, those who see the fraud being perpetrated. Questioned this contract.
Councilman Charlie Brown raised the question of whether the host committee would be paying fuel taxes, and Downs said it wouldn't.
"There's something there that just doesn't seem right to me because, in a sense, you're saying then that the officials who pass the laws are not willing to live by them," said Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz.
WOW, now this is a newsflash. Open your eyes and look around at not just this practice but at what the Denmocratic party has been doing for years here in Denver on a local, ststa, and national level coouncilwoman.
Trying to deflect the appearance of any sort of favoritism. Mayor Hickenlooper said the practice isn't unique to Denver.
"I do know for a fact that they're doing the same exact thing in Minneapolis," Hickenlooper said, referring to the city that along with St. Paul is hosting the Republican National Convention.
But Teresa McFarland, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-St. Paul host committee, said its members are getting their gas at public pumps.
"We're not getting a tax break on fuel," she said. "That's not the setup at this end."
"We know the gas is not tainted," he said. "We use it as a safety and security measure." said Chris Lopez."We're a nonpartisan, nonprofit committee, but certainly, if the city feels that taxes are applicable, we will pay those, too," continued Lopez, spokesman for the host committee. "So we would pay all applicable taxes on any of the fuel."
(note the phrase {we would})
(In Colorado, consumers pay 40.4 cents per gallon in state and federal fuel taxes. With the apparent backroom dealings of the national Democratic leadership trying to push through another tax increase, $0.10 per gallon. Colorado taxpayers will be paying $0.504 cents in taxes per gallon.)
"We can't talk about any individual taxpayer's circumstance," said Department of Revenue spokesman Mark Couch. "Tax-exempt organizations are not exempt from fuel taxes, so a nonprofit group is not exempt from fuel taxes. As to the individual circumstance involved here, we'd have to look into it and investigate to make any kind of determination." (But why not discuss this. It is a scam being pulled on the Colorado taxpayer who was promised by Mayor Hickenlooper and Gov. Bill Ritter. A promise that Coloradoians would not foot the bill for the democratic convention.)
Denis Berckefeldt, spokesman for Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher, said Hickenlooper's administration has been guilty in the past of doing business before a contract is executed.
It was not very clear Tuesday if the Department of Revenue will investigate. Denis Berckefeldt, spokesman for Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher, said Hickenlooper's administration has been guilty in the past of doing business before a contract is executed. However it has been put forth that all contracts withe the DNC had been executed.
In January 2006, Gallagher wrote, an examination of 999 contracts found that in 790 cases - 79 percent - work began before the contracts were "fully executed."
"We would have a problem with this because they're clearly selling fuel to the host committee without a fully executed contract," Berckefeldt said. "We have a real serious issue at the auditor's office with the city doing business with anyone without a contract."
What about the favoritism and bias being shown by a local government to one political party? Does this not fall under discrimination?
Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, said the city's arrangement with the DNC host committee was "appalling".Then continued to say, "I'm hoping this is not the first of many stories about how Colorado taxpayers are apparently subsidizing the Democratic convention," Wadhams said.
DOnt count on it Wadhams. As this convention moves foward and then leaves Denver with a large bill. Investigations will show more fraud, bias, and under the table dealings that not only brought these clowns to town. But screwed over the Colorado tax payer.
Arrogantly Public Works spokeswoman Christine Downs told City Council members just hours before the city made thier announcment, that host committee members were fueling up at the city pumps. The city does not pay taxes on the fuel for its fleet, and Downs said the host committee would not either.
This practice, which began four months ago, may have ended hours after its disclosure. An aide to Mayor John Hickenlooper released a statement Tuesday evening saying that Denver 2008 Host Committee members would pay the market prices for fuel and would also be liable for all applicable taxes.
Nonprofits organizations, such as the host committee, are subject to state and federal gasoline taxes, according to the Department of Revenue. This disclosure brought immediate scrutiny from Colorado Attorney General John Suthers. Who said the practice "would seem" to be illegal and referred the matter to the state Department of Revenue.
The issue arose during the regular weekly meeting of Mayor Hickenlooper and City Council members. Downs requested authorization for a contract so the Public Works Department could be reimbursed by the host committee for use of "fueling facilities, fuel and car washes."
Downs said the contract with the host committee started in March and that $9,700 in fuel and services had been purchased from the city so far. But the committee has yet to be billed. The city anticipates $466,125 in total revenues from the contract, Downs said. Which makes one wonder why no payment has been made as to date. A contract started in March , used but no payments made as yet. This adds cediance to the belief that elected officials and their beurocrats cannot handle money.
Several City Council members, those who see the fraud being perpetrated. Questioned this contract.
Councilman Charlie Brown raised the question of whether the host committee would be paying fuel taxes, and Downs said it wouldn't.
"There's something there that just doesn't seem right to me because, in a sense, you're saying then that the officials who pass the laws are not willing to live by them," said Councilwoman Jeanne Faatz.
WOW, now this is a newsflash. Open your eyes and look around at not just this practice but at what the Denmocratic party has been doing for years here in Denver on a local, ststa, and national level coouncilwoman.
Trying to deflect the appearance of any sort of favoritism. Mayor Hickenlooper said the practice isn't unique to Denver.
"I do know for a fact that they're doing the same exact thing in Minneapolis," Hickenlooper said, referring to the city that along with St. Paul is hosting the Republican National Convention.
But Teresa McFarland, a spokeswoman for the Minneapolis-St. Paul host committee, said its members are getting their gas at public pumps.
"We're not getting a tax break on fuel," she said. "That's not the setup at this end."
"We know the gas is not tainted," he said. "We use it as a safety and security measure." said Chris Lopez."We're a nonpartisan, nonprofit committee, but certainly, if the city feels that taxes are applicable, we will pay those, too," continued Lopez, spokesman for the host committee. "So we would pay all applicable taxes on any of the fuel."
(note the phrase {we would})
(In Colorado, consumers pay 40.4 cents per gallon in state and federal fuel taxes. With the apparent backroom dealings of the national Democratic leadership trying to push through another tax increase, $0.10 per gallon. Colorado taxpayers will be paying $0.504 cents in taxes per gallon.)
"We can't talk about any individual taxpayer's circumstance," said Department of Revenue spokesman Mark Couch. "Tax-exempt organizations are not exempt from fuel taxes, so a nonprofit group is not exempt from fuel taxes. As to the individual circumstance involved here, we'd have to look into it and investigate to make any kind of determination." (But why not discuss this. It is a scam being pulled on the Colorado taxpayer who was promised by Mayor Hickenlooper and Gov. Bill Ritter. A promise that Coloradoians would not foot the bill for the democratic convention.)
Denis Berckefeldt, spokesman for Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher, said Hickenlooper's administration has been guilty in the past of doing business before a contract is executed.
It was not very clear Tuesday if the Department of Revenue will investigate. Denis Berckefeldt, spokesman for Denver Auditor Dennis Gallagher, said Hickenlooper's administration has been guilty in the past of doing business before a contract is executed. However it has been put forth that all contracts withe the DNC had been executed.
In January 2006, Gallagher wrote, an examination of 999 contracts found that in 790 cases - 79 percent - work began before the contracts were "fully executed."
"We would have a problem with this because they're clearly selling fuel to the host committee without a fully executed contract," Berckefeldt said. "We have a real serious issue at the auditor's office with the city doing business with anyone without a contract."
What about the favoritism and bias being shown by a local government to one political party? Does this not fall under discrimination?
Dick Wadhams, chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, said the city's arrangement with the DNC host committee was "appalling".Then continued to say, "I'm hoping this is not the first of many stories about how Colorado taxpayers are apparently subsidizing the Democratic convention," Wadhams said.
DOnt count on it Wadhams. As this convention moves foward and then leaves Denver with a large bill. Investigations will show more fraud, bias, and under the table dealings that not only brought these clowns to town. But screwed over the Colorado tax payer.
