[harryh]

The extenuating circumstance is that it's obvious to anyone that this was a clerical mistake not an inability or unwillingness to pay the bill.

People shouldn't forfeit their property without warning because of clerical mistakes.

[ryanackley]

Sorry I don't agree. The situation was one of the HOA's own making. The tax collector didn't make the mistake, the HOA did. That's how life works for most people. There are consequences for making mistakes.

Also, with regard to there being "no warning". Why wouldn't there be an assumption by the HOA that they owed taxes even though they weren't receiving a bill?

[harryh]

You can obviously believe whatever you want, but if you think that the consequences of failing to properly file a change of address form and then forgetting about a $14 annual bill should be that dire, that's pretty extreme.

What do you think the penalty for littering should be? The death penalty?

[ryanackley]

The practical effect of the penalty is relative to a person's ability to handle it.

Wealthy people having to pay their way out of an awkward situation caused by their own irresponsibility? I don't know the means of these people but based on where they live, it amounts to the equivalent of a speeding ticket.

Keep in mind, they aren't the only victims of their irresponsibility now. They have had to create this narrative of a bottom feeding couple trying to cheat them out of their street. It's character assassination and it's another reason not to feel sorry for them.

[harryh]

We don't asses penalties in this country based on the resources of the perpetrator. All are equal before the law (at least that is the aspiration. we obviously fall short in many instances.).

And besides, your idea is non sensical. We should confiscate their property knowing that they have the resources to get it back in order to induce some higher lawyer fees and a pain-in-the-ass factor as some kind of penalty increase? That's bizarre! That's not how government should work at all! It ends up being a waste of time and resources for a lot of people and, as you mention, draws in innocent 3rd parties who end up taking some of the heat.

If we actually wanted a higher penalty for richer people than there should just be a bigger fine or late fee.

[ryanackley]

Dude, you're presenting a straw man argument. This entire thread, I've been saying I don't want them to be treated differently.

YOU are the one defending special treatment. Isn't that what has happened here?! They've successfully lobbied the city to treat them differently than everyone else?

All I was saying is it's harder to feel sorry for them. If you really cared about this issue, I'm sure you could find REAL tragedies that aren't being heard by the city council every single time the city does these tax sales. Like actual families being evicted for "clerical mistakes".

[harryh]

I don't think anyone should have their property confiscated without warning for a clerical error. I think that everyone should be treated equally in that respect.

[ajurna]

The article did say it was a $14 Million Dollar tax bill.

[harryh]

I think you misread it. The annual bill was $14, not $14 million.