Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Robbing Peter to Pay Paul.

Has everyone read the stuff on the Mille Lacs News Online about the Nexus property tax disputes? If you haven't, you should.

Now, normally I'm not the kind of gal who enjoys a rip-roaring discussion about taxes. (Yawn). But I find the Nexus situation quite fascinating - worthy of a Grisham novel for sure, should he be interested... It's a tale of intrigue with a wonderful, complex plot.

Let's begin with this: The Mille Lacs Messenger (the official newspaper) reported on more than one occassion, that Nexus is Property Tax Exempt.

Wrong!

This is false information, which they have yet to correct in their paper, leaving everyone who reads that crap to keep on believing that crap. They are misleading us, to say the very least. (Is there some sort of conspiracy, Mr. Grisham?)

If you haven't read the Mille Lacs News (oh for shame!), I'll try to summarize the situation for you. For years, Nexus has been seeking Property Tax Exemption. And they keep getting turned down because they don't qualify under the laws in Minnesota. "So what?" you say... Well, I say "what".

The bottom line is: If Nexus had to pay property taxes on their new 10 million dollar facility, they'd kick back (Oh my! Did I say "kick back"?) well over $300,000 per year into the community. Onamia would receive over $100,000 per year, AND YOUR TAXES WOULD GO DOWN! (Check it out on the Mille Lacs News Property Taxes page or research it yourself if you don't believe them.)

Why doesn't anybody want you to know this?

Why have they continued to mislead you? Always follow the money. I can understand Nexus' motivation. By not paying their property taxes, they would save a heck of a lot of money. But who, besides Nexus, benefits if they don't pay their property taxes? You and I certainly don't benefit. In fact, you and I are already supporting Nexus with our own tax dollars. Its our tax dollars which already subsidize Nexus. (That's how they exist... They live off of us. Kind of parasitic when you think about it.) Why would Mayor Larry Milton and the Onamia City Council continue to lie and mislead the People while pushing for that huge tax exemption for Nexus, especially when that money could benefit the town? It makes no sense... (Enter Mr. Grisham on THAT bit of intrigue...)

If you'll read the letters from the senior appraiser at the Minnesota Department of Revenue, (public information which is available for viewing on the Mille Lacs News Online) you'll find the answers as to WHY Nexus does not qualify for property tax exemption. And here the plot thickens.

Me, Myself, and I

Nexus has split itself into two companies: Nexus Corporation and Nexus Diversified Community Services. Doesn't that sound swell... "Community Services..." Indeed! Both of these branches have the same CEO (Jim D'Angelo), the same CFO (Alan Norby), the same Board of Directors, and the same address at corporate headquarters (in Golden Valley, MN). hmmm...

Part of the property tax exemption requirements for a non-profit organization include CONTRIBUTIONS. Now get this:

Nexus Diversified Community Services donated over $300,000 to Nexus Corporation, and then Nexus Corporation turned around and donated over a million dollars to Nexus Community Services.

AND NEXUS CLAIMED THESE "SELF-DONATIONS" IN THEIR PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION APPLICATION!!!

But they got caught... Property tax exemption denied, denied, denied.

Nexus' excuse? Nobody else would donate to them.... Check it out. It's true.

Financial masturbation...

Think of it like this: You take fifty cents out of your left pocket and move it into your right pocket. Then you take a dollar out of your right pocket and move it into your left. Then you say: "Look at me! I made a buck and a half today in contributions!"

Does that work for you? I doesn't work for me. It stinks a little, don't you agree? Smells a little "off". What would happen to Joe Citizen if he gave his wife a large "donation" and then tried to write it off on his taxes? Wouldn't they call that (drum roll....) "Tax Fraud"?

Don't ask me. I'm not financially savvy enough to figure out the ins and outs of any such complex, big-money scheme. I'm just a simple country gal. But if one examines some of the available information, one can't help but speculate.

Just think of those fine folks down at "corporate" shuffling all that money from pocket to pocket. They have a 38 million dollar per year budget to play with. Yes, 38 million. AND for a non-profit organization, they sure make huge profits. Over a million dollars in profits last year (that they reported...) Out of all of the juvenile sex offender treatment programs in Minnesota, Nexus is one of, if not THE most expensive. (Another reason they don't qualify for property tax exemption, according to the Minnesota Revenue, is that they charge too much for their "services".)

And think of how convenient it is if one of their pockets makes a little too much profit to continue to be defined as "non-profit". A simple solution: Just move the money to the other pocket for awhile and call it a "contribution".

Now do you see why I'm calling on Grisham? Maybe it's simply a case for the Attorney General or the IRS, but this story has all the makings of a great book or movie. (I just loved the Rainmaker). I'd cast John Lithgow as D'Angelo... I've never met Norby, but I'd cast Malkovich in that role... They both play such good villains.

Now here is an interesting idea... A little "side trip". The senior appraiser at the Minnesota Revenue, (the one Mille Lacs Academy's new Executive Administrator Paul Smith asked all of the employees to call and express your support that Nexus receive property tax exemption), has also indicated that Nexus does not qualify as a CHARITY. hmmm.

Nexus does not qualify as a charity? Wow.

Yet, both Nexus Corporation and Nexus Diversified Community Services (which, I don't need to remind you, is the same pair of pants) are listed on the Minnesota Attorney General's website as a "charity", and those misleading self-contributions are listed as if they were real donations.... from real donators.... Holy Moly! Maybe someone should look into this! Perhaps Nexus is bamboozling more than just the fine folken of Mille Lacs County.

Maybe they don't qualify for ANY tax exemption.

Could the Nexus Corporation be using those poor, troubled boys in some sort of a scheme to make a fortune for D'Angelo and his corporate cronies?


I know that the good employees at the Mille Lacs Academy (and this is said without sarcasm, by the way), are dedicated to the work that they do, and really care about the teenagers they are trying to help. I admire them for that. (They should get paid more too.) But what about Janet Benway, the elite chairperson of the Nexus Board of Directors?

"Janet Benway, CLU, ChFC, CFP, is a senior financial advisor for American Express Financial Advisors in Wayzata, Minnesota. Janet's expertise in financial planning allows her to help her clients achieve their financial objectives, prudently and thoughtfully, through a long-term financial planning relationship."

I got that from the Nexus website, if anyone is wondering.

Sounds like the Chairperson of the Board knows a lot about money. I wonder how much she knows (or cares) about juvenile sex offenders. But one thing is clear.

These financial wizards at Nexus no doubt know a lot when it comes to playing "pocket pool".

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well, isn't this interesting? Michael Moore, I mean Hannabelle (Michael Moore wannabe) has discovered that CEO Jim D'Angelo is just like your average CEO in this country. I watched "The Big One." It was a very eye-opening documentary. It made me very angry. I even got a little worked up. I even stopped buying certain products and shopping in certain stores. One thing I really like about Michael Moore is that he is always looking out for the hard working, blue-collar, American employees. Hannabelle, on the other hand likes to start out punching them in the mouth by trivializing their work, insulting their intellegnce, attacking their colleagues and professing to be a victim of their deliberate evil.

Now she recants much of her previous works by blowing some false admiration out her ass, that was most likely prompted by one of the more community minded Pro-Onamia, Bradbury residents. I think it's too little, too late to encourage these people to give two shits about you or your cronies.

So congratulations Hannabelle, I believe you!! D'Angelo sounds like a big douche bag. I doubt anyone thought otherwise. From the sounds of it he's pretty disconnected with the employees too(who you've enjoyed attacking). I even heard that former director Dellacecca tried to get the cooperate office to give her employees a 1% raise across the board, because they work so hard and were grossly underpaid. D'Angelo refused because it would cost too much. Sounds like a CEO to me.

D'Angelo sounds like many other CEOs in this country, this state for that matter, except for one thing. He is willing to give people from Onamia jobs that will pay thier bills. All you need is a GED and a clean record. What other cooperations is interested in doing that? What other one that you wouldn't run out of town as well? If you know of any why aren't you doing anything to attract them here?

Maybe if we could clean up this town, more Academy employees would consider moving here, putting their kids in our school, shopping at our local stores, and paying taxes.

It's much more convenient for people like you to be reavtive to situations like this. You can make yourself look like a victim and try to drum up sympathy. It's easy to criticise the mayor, city council, the Messenger, Hills, the Drug Store in hindsight. How many city council meetings did you people attend before this situation? Did you even care about what was going on? Or did you just trust the city government to do the the work for you? Appearently they've been incompetent all along right? Why doesn't anybody else run for those public offices? It's because you don't care!!!! Now that this is happening to you, guess what!

Hannabelle said...

Thanks for the comment, John D.

To begin... no-no-no. I'm not recanting. I've never been against the employees of the Academy, including Kathe Dellacecca whom I liked and respected, even though we were at odds about the location of the building site. I was sad when she was fired. I do think that the employees have been used (and misled)by their bosses - to intentionally divide the community and turn public opinion against us. And that's too bad. The employees think they are at war with us, when I'm sure they wouldn't really mind if the Academy were build somewhere other than the Grosslein/Bye land.

And actually, John, I agree with some of the things you say. But please note that I haven't NOT been involved in Onamia politics because I don't care. Granted, I'm not by nature the civic association type, but as a Bradbury Township resident, I am not allowed to vote or run for office in the City of Onamia.

Also, contrary to current belief, I do not crave attention. I had my 15 Minutes long ago, and do not wish for 15 more. I really do struggle with my health and that's a fact. But if I elaborate, you'll just say I'm seeking sympathy. The only reason I've returned from the grave, so to speak, is because what is happening here is wrong. I'm trying to stop it before it is too late.

And, I guess you might be right... I could indeed be a Michael Moore Wannabe - if what I'm doing might bring about changes that this community sorely needs. (I just hope I don't have to hire any body guards like Michael has to...)

As for being a "victim". Well, yes. Sometimes people really are victims. We are all victims over here. You're right again. We should have been watching our backs. We did trust the local people, government included. It never occurred to us that if we didn't watch our backs, they'd stab us in them. Perhaps we all need to be ever-vigilant.

But I have a question for you, John: Why doesn't anyone else run for those public offices?

Hannabelle

Anonymous said...

That's an easy one to answer. The majority of the people here just want to retire. The young people in this area just want to get the hell out of here, because there's very little if anything for them here. There is another big group of people who are drunk, on meth or both all day long and probably don't know what a mayor is. This leaves a very small group of people who think that they have done an adequate job through out the years and don't have much to complain about, especially when they see them trying hard to keep jobs in the area.

My error in thinking was that you could run for these offices yourself if things have been so bad. That does appear to be a flawed system and unfair. In my opinion if you have an Onamia address you should be able to be an Onamia mayor weither you're white, black, native, etc. or live in the north, south, east or west.

However, your're not off the hook for attcking the hard working employees. Just look at this rediculous website. Look at the Home Page. Read the Bradbury At War. Reread the vicious attacks you've made on a well respected specific saff member who's not very high on the Mille Lacs Academy totem pole. You say it's their bosses who are tricking them?I have heard from seeveral employees that they cann't take a group of kids, who have earned it, on a fishing trip to the dam without locals driving by and yelling faggot or other obsenities out the window. Who does this kind of thing hurt? The CEO? Maybe you didn't start this, but like an immature child you perpetuated it, and in the process alienated yourselves.

Hannabelle said...

Thank you for your response, John D.

Nobody in my neighborhood (that I know of) has been yelling obscenities at the MLA fishermen (and, now that you mention it - nor have we been making any threatening phone calls or moving surveyors' stakes, or doing the other nasty things we have been falsely accused of.) But if what you say is true, it sounds like there must be more people than just me who do not want the MLA fishermen in the community. Perhaps some of these people will come forward and express themselves here on this ridiculous website? (I invite everybody's comments.)

I can't speak for others in the neighborhood, but as for me alienating myself from the town, that's not how I see it at all. Just the opposite. The town has alienated itself from me.

Oh. And being immature helps keep me feeling young! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I was alerted to this site today by one of the MLA employees who you seem to enjoy crucifying in your blog. A lot of work was put into this site to be a sounding board for those of you who live in Bradbury township. If anyone put this type of effort into their life or job it would be amazing. But you choose to cut the throats of local politicians and MLA employees who have a very tough job by the way, oh if you would talk with them instead of at them you would know that. In closing you should get over yourself and get a hobby.

Anonymous said...

Obviously a good choice on the town's part. John D don't waste your time on this advocate for the abuse of children. She's just gonna have to live out her last days angry and isolated while she pisses into the wind. Hopefully Nexus dedicates their new parking lot to her.

Attention All Self-Loathing Crack-Heads and Sexual Preditors In Hiding Who Yell Obsenities at the Academy Kids: "HANNABELLE WANTS YOU" I'm pretty sure she needs your help to go waive "Baby Killer" signs in front troops returning from the war.

Anonymous said...

My fear is that she'll get her way and Onamia will die with her. You know Hannabell, in Texas they give kids the death penalty. That sounds like a wonderful place for you to live out your remaining days on this earth. If you ask real nice they might even let you throw the switch. Or there is plenty of other ghost towns in Minnesota with nothing going on. Why kill this one too?