Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Report: Congressman's Claims for tax break on land deals disputed (San Jose Murcury News 08152006) Rep. Miller gets no break..

What is going on with this Rep. Miller. He has nothing to do with us, He represents a large group of people South of our location starting at Chino, and Chino Hills. He was sought after by one of our City Administrators to seek if he could go and relieve the city of the Federal burden they have with regard to the airport. It was figured that they could then back door the FAA and close the airport. Miller Attached What is known in the Political world as Pork to the $286.4 Billion Transportation Bill that was then forwarded to the President and then signed into law. This Bill gave the City Officials the ability to close the Airport and determine the future of the city. I did mention that this was the first time that any Airport has been closed in such a fashioned, and the FAA is against this Closure of the Rialto Airport because they feel that the Rialto Airport is Important to National and Regional Aviation Systems. After all what or where are they going to land numerous plans if and when another one of those air attacks come to happen.


There was earlier approval to a Development company, Lewis-Hillwood Rialto LLC for 504 Acres around and slightly on the airport grounds. However a most reliable word, the LA Times has said that Rep. Miller's Development Company has a majority of the rest of the 1100 Acres that are left to developed. There are other people that have purchased land that will be selling it at market prices to the city, and small birds have told me that Garcia has been one of the biggest purchasers of the bare land up around the airport, and along Easton Ave.

I am wondering who is caring for the poor people of Rialto, while every one that is running Rialto is filling everyone's pockets even their own, and the people that are getting the stuff done for them, even if it was supposed to go to something that I heard as that was called I don't know a Bid!! Maybe one that might have been announced or something. I didn't read about it in the paper, and wow, do I read the paper when it comes to Rialto!!!

Maybe I am wrong and if that is the case Please write on my blogger or answer it at the bottom and set me straight. I just might not know what I am talking about. After all I am no Lawyer, like Owens, of coarse I don't think of Owens as much of a Lawyer either. After all I can read and make out what the instructions say surrounding the signing of a Petition, and that tied the city up for almost four months, Maybe that was what he was supposed to do, at the cost of being stupid.. or making Barbara Mcgee look Uneducated. I know that she is not, and I know that she knows better, but she also wanted what the boss wanted. That is Barbara. she is like that!! After all she fell for the Authority figure and tried to keep it a secret, but everyone knew..LOL... I hope that this land Issue comes out right and what ever is best for Rialto. I am tired of hearing about everything being how do I put this, OH, YEA!! ED SCOTT Thought me this..Corrupt!!

BSRanch

==========================================

Report: Congressman's claims for tax break on land deals disputed

U.S. Rep. Gary Miller has avoided paying millions of dollars in taxes on real estate deals under a tax break that protects people forced to sell their property, but officials dispute they ever made him sell his land, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Miller, R-Diamond Bar, sold 165 acres to Monrovia, a suburb about 10 miles east of Los Angeles, in 2002 for a profit of more than $10 million, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Following the sale, he told the Internal Revenue Service and the state he was forced to sell under threat by the city of eminent domain, a process by which government agencies can force sales in the public interest.

That allowed him to avoid paying capital gains on the sale for two years, during which time he could reinvest the proceeds and avoid taxes altogether.

In an interview, Miller contended that Monrovia threatened him during the bargaining process with eminent domain, giving him no choice but to sell, the paper said.

"The base of the deal was either you sell to us or we'll have to condemn it," Miller said.

But city officials told the Times they never strong-armed him into selling.

Glen Owens of the Monrovia planning commission said the city was buying the undeveloped hillside land from Miller for a wilderness preserve using state funds that forbid such forced sales of land.

"The state doesn't go along with eminent domain," Owens said. "You have to have a willing seller."

A letter from the city manager at the time said "Under the guidelines of the Challenge Grant Program, all property owners must be willing sellers."

And in video footage of a February 2000 City Council meeting, Miller is shown pleading with city officials to buy his land. "Why don't you buy my property? I've asked you repeatedly," the Times quoted him as saying.

In 2004, Miller reinvested the profits from the Monrovia sale, buying lots and a building in Fontana and Rancho Cucamonga.

The following year, Miller sold his Fontana land to the city. This year, he sold the building, also to the city.

In both cases, he again claimed the IRS exemption, saying the sales were forced, the newspaper said. As such, the Fontana sales allowed Miller to continue to shelter portions of the profits from his original Monrovia sale.

Records and interviews with Fontana officials indicate Miller's sales there also were voluntary, the Times reported.

Miller had no comment to the Times after Monrovia challenged his claims, and the IRS and the state's Franchise Tax Board both told the newspaper they do not discuss individual cases.

Miller's spokesman Kevin McKee told the Times in an e-mail that "Mr. Miller and the city of Monrovia agreed upon the purchase price and a friendly condemnation."

Reached by The Associated Press Sunday, McKee said Miller had no comment on the Times story.

Monrovia officials acknowledged that early drafts of the sale included a so-called "friendly condemnation," which allows a buyer to claim a forced sale for tax reasons. But that phrase was stricken when the deal became final.

Miller, a millionaire land developer from the Inland Empire, represents the 42nd District, which includes parts of Orange, San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties.


Information from: Los Angeles Times, http://www.latimes.com

No comments: