REMARKS
Council Member Yeger opposes Introduction 962 on lien sales
0:32:01
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111 sec
Council Member Kalman Yeger explains his opposition to Introduction 962, which would allow the city to sell tax liens to third parties. He argues that this practice is bad public policy, particularly harmful to those who cannot pay their taxes, and may lead to people losing their homes.
- Yeger acknowledges that the bill improves upon past lien sale processes but maintains that the city should not have the authority to sell liens.
- He expresses concern for vulnerable populations, such as seniors, who might be disproportionately affected by this policy.
- Yeger suggests that there are better alternatives for ensuring tax payment and helping those who cannot pay, urging colleagues to vote against the bill.
Kalman Yeger
0:32:01
As I have in the past, I'm voting no on the lien sale bill.
0:32:04
I believe fundamentally, it's bad public policy for the city to offload its debt to third parties to collect.
0:32:12
And recognizing that we have to have structures in place to require that people pay their taxes, There are a lot of better ways to do it than this.
0:32:22
This bill unquestionably improves how the lien sale had been conducted in the past.
0:32:27
It unquestionably improves the process by which people get themselves on the lien sale list or off the lien sale list.
0:32:34
But where we are right now is the city does not have the authority to sell liens.
0:32:38
And we're passing a bill that allows the city to have this authority.
0:32:43
The people who are most affected by this fundamentally are people who can't pay their taxes, not people who don't want to pay their taxes because everybody doesn't want to pay taxes.
0:32:53
We're talking about people who find themselves in a place where they can't make that payment.
0:32:58
And then at the end of the process, they have interest put on and interest put on.
0:33:03
And it's a senior who didn't get a bill or lost a bill and maybe doesn't have a child who's checking their mail.
0:33:09
And the burden will later come to the point where that person's house is going to get taken.
0:33:15
And it's going to be us who voted for city to have that authority to do it.
0:33:18
I don't wanna be able I don't rule the people in the eye and say, I'm the 1 who's responsible for voting for this.
0:33:23
And I think there are measures that we can put in place that would enable us to better make sure that a, people do pay their debts and b, those who can't we're able to help them.
0:33:36
Even if we can't get them to pay it, that the city keeps the lien internally instead of outsourcing it to 3rd parties for collection.
0:33:43
And I have to vote no on it.
0:33:44
And I urge those who might find themselves in agreement with the message, if not the messenger, to please join me.
0:33:51
Thank you.