MONROE - Two of three elected officials in Green County who were delinquent in their property taxes have paid them, according to Treasurer Sherri Hawkins.
Monroe Mayor Ron Marsh was late on his second payment of $3,042.08. With interest and penalties, he owed $3,361. He paid $500 of that before Sept. 8, according to the treasurer's office. On Sept. 29, Marsh paid the remaining amount of $2,900, which included some interest.
Craig Foreback, New Glarus, who represented District 29 on the Green County Board of Supervisors, paid his tax bill of $6,983 on Oct. 19. He resigned from the board Oct. 12. Foreback, who is a senior lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, moved to Dane County.
Monroe Common Council member Jan Lefevre, who represents Ward 4, still owes $3,052 for 2008 and $3,061 for 2007.
The deadline for paying remaining property taxes was July 31. After a grace period, penalties and interest began to accrue Aug. 7.
During Tuesday's meeting of the Monroe Common Council, Alderman Charles Koch read from a statement he had written that the issue of delinquent taxes "deserves to addressed."
In his statement, he said he had "asked for an apology and/or explanation to the council," on or about Sept. 25 and was "told 'it would be taken care of.'"
Koch told the council his request for an apology or explanation took place in person with Mayor Ron Marsh, Sept. 25, and his statement Tuesday wasn't directed at Lefevre.
In his statement, Koch said he was "appalled and dismayed" when he learned about the delinquent taxes.
"A city official is responsible and accountable to the citizens of Monroe for establishing the tax rate each year on their property. And to feel that the official tax status is not of public interest and of no importance to the public is arrogant and unbecoming and is an embarrassment to the whole council and the City of Monroe," Koch said.
Koch also said he believed "anyone who sits on this council is expected to be held up to a higher standard than what is commonly considered normal."
Marsh responded to Koch during Tuesday's meeting by saying he had answered the question of his delinquent property taxes "many times" and the question had been asked of him by "most Council members."
"It was a decision I made from a financial standpoint," he said. "It's all in - the taxes, interest and penalties have all been paid."
"And I'm better off now than if I had diversified," Marsh added.
Marsh, in a story published Sept. 8 in the Times, said he was late in paying his taxes because he was waiting for an investment to become worth a certain amount so he wouldn't lose money by taking it out early to pay the property tax bill. He also said he didn't understand why his tax status needed to be made public in the media. It's a personal issue, he said, not a public one.
Koch said Thursday that he is not satisfied with Marsh's response.
"No. If he had said something - like he was sorry ... or that he had no intention of doing that. But (Marsh's response) sounds like what he did was OK," Koch said.Andrew Hellpap 10/21/09 Jeff Rogers 10/21/09
Monroe Mayor Ron Marsh was late on his second payment of $3,042.08. With interest and penalties, he owed $3,361. He paid $500 of that before Sept. 8, according to the treasurer's office. On Sept. 29, Marsh paid the remaining amount of $2,900, which included some interest.
Craig Foreback, New Glarus, who represented District 29 on the Green County Board of Supervisors, paid his tax bill of $6,983 on Oct. 19. He resigned from the board Oct. 12. Foreback, who is a senior lecturer at the University of Wisconsin, moved to Dane County.
Monroe Common Council member Jan Lefevre, who represents Ward 4, still owes $3,052 for 2008 and $3,061 for 2007.
The deadline for paying remaining property taxes was July 31. After a grace period, penalties and interest began to accrue Aug. 7.
During Tuesday's meeting of the Monroe Common Council, Alderman Charles Koch read from a statement he had written that the issue of delinquent taxes "deserves to addressed."
In his statement, he said he had "asked for an apology and/or explanation to the council," on or about Sept. 25 and was "told 'it would be taken care of.'"
Koch told the council his request for an apology or explanation took place in person with Mayor Ron Marsh, Sept. 25, and his statement Tuesday wasn't directed at Lefevre.
In his statement, Koch said he was "appalled and dismayed" when he learned about the delinquent taxes.
"A city official is responsible and accountable to the citizens of Monroe for establishing the tax rate each year on their property. And to feel that the official tax status is not of public interest and of no importance to the public is arrogant and unbecoming and is an embarrassment to the whole council and the City of Monroe," Koch said.
Koch also said he believed "anyone who sits on this council is expected to be held up to a higher standard than what is commonly considered normal."
Marsh responded to Koch during Tuesday's meeting by saying he had answered the question of his delinquent property taxes "many times" and the question had been asked of him by "most Council members."
"It was a decision I made from a financial standpoint," he said. "It's all in - the taxes, interest and penalties have all been paid."
"And I'm better off now than if I had diversified," Marsh added.
Marsh, in a story published Sept. 8 in the Times, said he was late in paying his taxes because he was waiting for an investment to become worth a certain amount so he wouldn't lose money by taking it out early to pay the property tax bill. He also said he didn't understand why his tax status needed to be made public in the media. It's a personal issue, he said, not a public one.
Koch said Thursday that he is not satisfied with Marsh's response.
"No. If he had said something - like he was sorry ... or that he had no intention of doing that. But (Marsh's response) sounds like what he did was OK," Koch said.Andrew Hellpap 10/21/09 Jeff Rogers 10/21/09