Another Frerichs bumble
Friday, Aug 8, 2014 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I completely understand why somebody would stand on principle and refuse to pay a tax that wasn’t owed throughout numerous appeals. I don’t understand why a guy running statewide wouldn’t have just written the stupid little check months ago to get this off the books and then and only then continue with his appeal.
Greg Hinz…
At issue are taxes on two suites of offices [Democratic state treasurer nominee Sen. Michael Frerichs] rents in Champaign from the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District. One suite, 600 square feet of offices, has been used since 2007 for Mr. Frerichs’ Senate staff. The other, next door, has housed his political operation since 2010.
Since the transit district is a public agency, it does not owe taxes on property it uses. But a leasehold tax that effectively is the same as a property tax is owed by those who rent space from the district, at least some of them.
Ergo, the Champaign County Treasurer has sent bills to Mr. Frerichs.
And he hasn’t paid those bills, which total a mere $1,814.17 going all the way back to 2008. The Senate President’s office agrees with Frerichs, but the Department of Revenue has ruled against him, just as they earlier ruled against Rep. Monique Davis, who was in an almost identical situation.
* And then there’s this…
Mr. Frerichs also had owed $170.78 for his political office. But that amount was paid earlier this week after a local blogger and Mr. Cross’ campaign began making inquiries.
According to Frerichs Campaign Manager Zach Koutsky, the campaign office bills weren’t paid because they were “incorrectly” mailed to the legislative office, where they perhaps were inadvertently lumped into the larger dispute over whether legislative office is or is not exempt.
Look, I like Mike Frerichs. I think he’d make a good treasurer (as would Tom Cross). But if you’re gonna run for office you gotta clean up this little stuff first.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:27 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - I will pay nothing that I feel will make me look more Dopey than I usually am #PennyWisePoliticallyFoolish
- 47th Ward - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:27 pm:
It’s generally a good idea to avoid direct comparisons to Monique Davis whenever possible.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:29 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - if I don’t make Dopey blunders once a week, what kind of press would I generate anyway? #TallTalesForShrinkingViolet
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:30 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - at least this part of my record I’m not making up or confusing. Baby steps #SteppingInTheMessAgain
- the Frisco kid - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:32 pm:
He has to stop this otherwise I am going hurt myself laughing so hard at him.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:32 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - check my Twitter later to see what other agencies or gov’t entities I’m not paying. #BrightLightsNotGoodSometimes
- Southwest Cook - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:33 pm:
Any press is good press, I guess.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:34 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - if I wasn’t the most annoying statewide candidate this cycle, what would be my schtick? #JustBeingTallLacksHighlights
- Secretariat - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:34 pm:
Stupidity or arrogance?? Neither is acceptable.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:36 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - please understand, money and managing money confuse me at times #FrerichsForTreasurer
- Ghost - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:41 pm:
Frerichs was just standing tall on this critical tax issue…..
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:41 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - actually I just ran out of checks abscess waiting for another book of them #MickeyMouseOrGoofyWatermark
- jocko - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:42 pm:
Maybe all his money is tied up in I-bonds.
- Following up - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:43 pm:
Monique I believe owed over $100,000. Did she pay it or how did it get resolved? Or is it still at the court of claims?
- OneMan - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:43 pm:
Isn’t using a dodge to avoid your taxes un-American?
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:44 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - I haven’t paid @FakePatQuinn’s lawn service either. Wonder if anyone noticed. #MowingDownProblems
- Tubing Enthusiast - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:44 pm:
If he can’t manage his own accounts (or his clearly faltering campaign), how can we trust him to manage the entire state’s? Unbelievable, even by Illinois standards.
- anon - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:45 pm:
–47th Ward - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:27 pm: It’s generally a good idea to avoid direct comparisons to Monique Davis whenever possible.–
money shot right there
- Lil Squeezy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:46 pm:
How about this for a rule: Do not rent political space off a public entity. Ever. I am not saying there is anything is wrong with it, but it only has a downside. Nobody will ever congratulate you for renting empty space off public agency, but people will write about it if you have a dispute.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:48 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - remember all the tweets about how much money I was raising and had on hand? Well, you don’t pay bills, you have even more money on hand! #LeaveTheBillTakeTheServices
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:52 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - if you owe money to public entities, pay them. That way I won’t have to worry about paying them. #GoodForTheLittlePeopleToPayForTallMan
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:55 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - you can rent me for $1,300. this weekend to change all your light bulbs, and dust all your high cabinets. Call the campaign office #HeightOfDopiness
- Imjustabill - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:56 pm:
I wonder if Oberweis will ride in to rescue Frerichs from the evil tax collectors?
- PoolGuy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 1:59 pm:
He is running for State Treasurer and the County Treasurer is sending him bills? oh my what a goofball…
- A guy... - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 2:12 pm:
No comment really. Just thanks for the chuckle. Truth is absolutely stranger than fiction.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 2:25 pm:
@FakeMikeFrerichs - in other news, the ATM just ate my Debit Card. #BeingTallEffectsBalanceOfAccountsToo
- fed up - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 2:30 pm:
He doesnt pay his BILLS sounds about right for an Illinois office holder.
- wordslinger - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 2:43 pm:
Maybe they should have sent the notices in Mandarin.
Geez, how can you leave that stuff hanging out there fo years when you know you’re going to run statewide one day?
Did he not see the the giant, blinking warning sign?
That Yale isn’t doing him a whole lot of good these days.
- Puddles - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 3:17 pm:
I’ve seen better run campaigns…
- Happy Hank - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 3:24 pm:
I have never seen a candidate Frerichs himself so many times before Labor Day.
- Filmmaker Professor - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 3:58 pm:
Look, even if he wins, he’ll resign and run for governor in four years anyway. not enough time to do any real damage.
- Oswego Willy - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 4:01 pm:
===Look, even if he wins, he’ll resign and run for governor in four years anyway. not enough time to do any real damage.===
Why would he have to resign? What am I missing? You can’t be seated and run for something else?
Professor, educate me in this resigning thing.
- Precinct Captain - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 4:02 pm:
==- Filmmaker Professor - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 3:58 pm:==
Why would he resign the treasurer’s office to run for governor?
- Da Bulls - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 4:28 pm:
On the other hand, wouldn’t being cheap be a good quality as treasurer?
$1,000? C’mon, Mike.
- Puddles - Friday, Aug 8, 14 @ 4:32 pm:
==Why would he resign the treasurer’s office to run for governor?==
Based on the blunders of his current campaign, would it surprise anyone if he resigned the treasurer’s office to run for Governor?
- Lance - Monday, Aug 11, 14 @ 1:39 pm:
omg, these @iltruthteam guys are hilarious http://www.hasmikefrerichspaidhistaxesyet.com/