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27th November 2013, 11:10 AM | #1 |
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Big bill for the JREF :(
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27th November 2013, 02:35 PM | #2 |
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I would have thought JREF would have sold the former HQ. I know the property market is not very good but I would have thought it would have fetched some money?
I wonder if JREF will pay? And when? Edit. Non profits can make big mistakes. There may be no one whose job it is to look at the big picture. |
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27th November 2013, 05:41 PM | #3 |
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I'm sure they'll pay it; the depressing thing is that's $23,000 that could have gone to other things, like TAM scholarships or presenters.
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27th November 2013, 06:34 PM | #4 |
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Expect an email from DJ soon.
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27th November 2013, 07:19 PM | #5 |
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If I understand this correctly, these are property taxes that will be owed in 2014 now that the property has lost its tax-exempt status--is that right? Not a bill for previously owed (and unpaid) taxes.
The article says "Cacciatore said the property appraiser's office cannot back tax the non-profit organizations." |
27th November 2013, 09:54 PM | #6 |
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If we all give just a couple of bucks each, we can bribe those officials back into silence.
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27th November 2013, 10:48 PM | #7 |
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" For years, the foundation's former offices at 201 SE 12th Street in Fort Lauderdale were tax exempt, but the property appraiser office says the building has been vacant for more than two years."
So what was the plan, then? I may not know from property ownership, but even I understand that if my property isn't working for me, it's working against me. |
27th November 2013, 11:09 PM | #8 |
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27th November 2013, 11:28 PM | #9 |
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28th November 2013, 09:05 AM | #10 |
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29th November 2013, 12:25 AM | #11 |
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As AdMan said, this is the bill for 2013 taxes; it's extremely unlikely that they'll sell the property before year-end, and equally unlikely that any appeal would succeed given that the property has been vacant for two years. So yes, they'll have to pay.
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29th November 2013, 01:13 AM | #12 |
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I asked if you had watched the news video. Apparently you haden't.
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29th November 2013, 01:15 AM | #13 |
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29th November 2013, 03:05 AM | #14 |
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That is my point. At least the news reporter knows how to access public records.
It seems strange that only part of the bill would have been paid. Was there a 10% discount for immediate payment? If I were at my regular computer I would look this up. But it will have to wait unless somebody else picks it up. I also suspect that JREF has made the choice to hold the property and let the market improve instead of dumping it in the current market. It's too bad that the foundation can't keep the office open until they find a buyer. |
29th November 2013, 03:30 AM | #15 |
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Just watched the video. Contains extra information not in the article itself. The building is for sale, probably has been for some time.
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29th November 2013, 08:29 PM | #16 |
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IIRC, the building went on the market soon after DJ took over and moved the JREF office to California.
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30th November 2013, 12:14 PM | #17 |
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1st December 2013, 06:40 PM | #18 |
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7th December 2013, 01:44 PM | #19 |
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I had no idea that JREF moved to California. Interesting. Did Randi move also?
As to the property tax situation: In California this is what would happen: If there was a mortgage on the property the mortgage holder has the right and I expect most mortgage holders were exercise this right to either force payment of the property tax or to force a payoff of the mortgage. If there was no mortgage then a lien would be put on the property for the unpaid property taxes and I think the state can force the sale of the property to pay off the lien. ETA: On Florida property evaluations: I am under the impression based on anecdotal information that Florida is one of the states where property values have not recovered since the peak of the recession. I've wondered why that is, maybe global warning pictures showing big patches of ocean where Florida is might be a contributing factor? Or maybe a rash of devastating hurricanes? |
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7th December 2013, 02:54 PM | #20 |
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Did you watch the video in the link in the OP? Near the end it says they interviewed Randi in LA. BTW: The entire tax bill had already been paid as of November 21. The $21,000 was paid as the video suggests on the day they interviewed JR. The remainder had already been paid on November 5th. No taxes are due. |
7th December 2013, 03:51 PM | #21 |
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I hadn't noticed the video link before you mentioned it. I just watched the video. I enjoy watching Randi, even in a trumped up local story.
Has Randi himself moved to California and where are the new headquarters? I realize I might risk embarrassing myself again because this was mentioned some place and I missed it. |
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7th December 2013, 04:15 PM | #22 |
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I'd tell you to look it up but this one was still in my clipboard:
7095 Hollywood Boulevard, #1170, Los Angeles, CA 90028. (Check it out though, It's listed on a page asking for donations so it could be a fake or just a PO box) |
7th December 2013, 11:25 PM | #23 |
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8th December 2013, 12:02 AM | #24 |
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AdMan, do you recognize that person in the center in Dave's avatar?
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8th December 2013, 12:03 AM | #25 |
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Watch the video again and listen carefully. And, yes, of course I recognize him since I last saw him a few months ago, at this year's TAM. And I last saw the JREF's president in September at DragonCon, which Randi did not attend. I believe he was back home in Florida taking it easy after medical treatment. Have you watched the video again? |
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8th December 2013, 01:37 AM | #26 |
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At 03:25 in the video:
Quote:
I was caught by the imprecise language used by the announcer. The key that the segment was in fact shot in Florida is the "10" logo on the reporters mike. (though this could have been added in post production) Randi still owns his home in Florida and it isn't listed for sale. ETA: The facade in the interview also matches the Florida home. |
8th December 2013, 01:51 AM | #27 |
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I've been looking around for a press release on the move or any official comment about it and haven't found it. Is there any information that somebody could link to? Does anybody have any inside dope on what the reason for the move was?
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The way of truth is along the path of intellectual sincerity. -- Henry S. Pritchett Perfection is the enemy of good enough -- Russian proverb |
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8th December 2013, 02:09 AM | #28 |
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8th December 2013, 02:11 AM | #29 |
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Duplicate post.
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8th December 2013, 02:37 AM | #30 |
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What is your problem? I transcribed that audio segment showing how the placement of a simple comma (where there is in fact a pause in the speech can change the meaning of the statement. I provided the new California mailing address (which does appear to be just a post box). And I did the research to verify that the news clip of Randi was in fact shot in front of Randi's Florida home. You seem to be posting here just to attack me personally. Why do you do that? |
8th December 2013, 02:57 AM | #31 |
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I am not attacking you. I have found that a number of your posts in other threads look to be intended to rile other posters up, without providing any kind of serious argument. Some people call this trolling. Maybe it is; maybe not. In any case, it is tiresome, though you may get a kick out of it, for all I know. That's irrelevant here, though. In this thread, you made a mistake and then insinuated, in a snarky way, that I didn't know what I was talking about, which I actually did, so I corrected you--it was not an attack. |
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8th December 2013, 03:30 AM | #32 |
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Not exactly a press release: http://yankeeskeptic.com/2012/12/03/...rdale-florida/ |
8th December 2013, 06:19 AM | #33 |
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Ok they made a mistake, they let the property go unused.
The best thing would be to very publicly pay the taxes and urge the other npo's to do so. |
8th December 2013, 09:02 AM | #34 |
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I wouldn't call it a mistake. They made a choice to move and put the old digs up for sale. The library moved to the plantation site around May 2011 and the new HQ was opened in LA in mid 2012.
It would probably cost more to keep the old office staffed than they have to pay in taxes. |
8th December 2013, 11:38 AM | #35 |
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Thanks,
I was surprised that I couldn't find more about the move on-line. I found a mention of it when there was a release about an employee that couldn't make the move was leaving JREF. It just seems a bit strange to me that it wouldn't have been mentioned more prominently. I don't routinely read the JREF homepage anymore. Perhaps it was mentioned there. |
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The way of truth is along the path of intellectual sincerity. -- Henry S. Pritchett Perfection is the enemy of good enough -- Russian proverb |
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8th December 2013, 04:06 PM | #36 |
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8th December 2013, 07:46 PM | #37 |
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A quick Google search of the address appears to show the property as being for sale since July 2011. https://www.google.com.au/search?q=2...rdale&safe=off
That would suggest that the market is poor, or the property is overpriced. Someone familiar with the Florida property market may be able to shed some light. |
9th December 2013, 04:51 PM | #38 |
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10th December 2013, 10:42 AM | #39 |
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10th December 2013, 11:03 AM | #40 |
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I'm glad to hear they had no problem paying the tax. The JREF financial statements suggest they wouldn't, since they are able to pay 2 people a combined salary (I think) of over $330,000 and have a couple hundred thousand in the bank (2012). They could always have siphoned off more from there if necessary.
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