2026-09-16 - Tax Abatement Committee

30:34You ready, Miss Chair? Ready? Thank you.

30:49The tax abatement committee will hold a

30:51public hearing on Wednesday, September

30:5416th, 2026 at 7 p.m. in the automatic

30:56chamber, 165 North Street, New Haven to

30:59hear the following. We want LM2026-0199.

31:05Order abading deferring collection of

31:07real property taxes due from Victoria H.

31:11Bird on her residence for grand list of

31:142024 and 2025.

31:17Number two, LM 2026 0320

31:21order abading deferring collection of

31:23real property taxes due from is it M

31:29>> Medallia Ray on her residential grand

31:32list of 2023, 2024 and 2025.

31:36Number three, LM2026-0394.

31:42Order concerning

31:44congregation

31:46B9 Jacob requesting tax assistance on

31:49account number 23609.

31:53Number four, LM

31:58206

32:010257. Reporter of the New Haven Board of

32:04Allers concerning the communication from

32:06Tom Kit Law Group on behalf of Cash New

32:10Haven LLC.

32:13Okay. Okay. These items are on file and

32:16available for public inspection in the

32:19office of legislative services 165

32:21church street per order. Honorable Troy

32:24Streeter, chair of test Michael Smart,

32:26city clerk. If you need a disability

32:28related accommodation, please call 3

32:31days in advance 2039467651

32:36voice or 2039468582

32:41TTY. Public comment testimony may also

32:45be submitted by email to public

32:47testimony at mhavenct.gov

32:52before 2 p.m. or the day of the meeting.

33:06Okay, we will introduce our older

33:09starting from the right.

33:11>> Milendes, war 13,

33:14Matt Natal, war 16.

33:16>> Troy Streeter, war 21. Frank Douglas,

33:20war two. Ryan get war 29 be the hills.

33:25>> Okay. First item up

33:30LM20260199.

33:34Order abating deferred collection of

33:36real property tax is due from Victoria

33:38Hburg.

33:41Is there anyone here for that? Please

33:42come on up.

34:01This way.

34:02>> Yes, ma'am.

34:03>> You going to sit right here?

34:04>> Mhm.

34:08[clears throat]

34:08>> Through the chair. He will say state

34:10your name and address.

34:11>> Say that again. He's going to say the

34:14address.

34:17[laughter]

34:21>> My name is Maline Dennis. I'm the power

34:24of attorney for Victoria

34:28H. Bird Edwards.

34:30>> Okay. Can you please state your claim?

34:33>> Okay. My

34:35>> Oh, her address is 170 Porter Street,

34:37New Haven, Connecticut 06511.

34:40>> And yours?

34:41>> And what? yours and

34:43>> my address is 93 Orange Street,

34:46apartment 505, New Haven, Connecticut

34:4906510. And my full name is Meline

34:52Dennis.

34:53>> Okay. Please state your claim.

34:55>> Okay. Um my adopted mom um had a lot of

34:59taxes. I started taking care of her last

35:02year. Um [clears throat]

35:05Judge Keys made me her power of attorney

35:08and everything. Um, she started, well,

35:11prior to me taking care of her, she

35:13started dealing with memory loss. Her

35:15kidneys and stuff was failing. In July,

35:17she ended up in the hospital um cuz the

35:21kidneys was infected and it was

35:23attacking her liver and stuff. She has a

35:2664 year old severely autistic son who is

35:31nonverbal.

35:32He does go to the day program and

35:34everything. Um, but her finances kind of

35:39got uncontrollable and she, you know,

35:42dementia

35:43>> start setting in little by little. She's

35:46in denial of it, but she has her moment.

35:49And so when I started taking care of

35:50her, I had a whole bunch of bills that

35:53was delinquent and due for termination.

35:56I caught up on the taxes. I believe it

35:58was for 22 and 23. But they did tell me

36:01that 24 and 25 was going to be coming

36:04out around now. But if I'm not there to

36:08get her mail, she gets the mail and she

36:12hides it and then I can't find it. So

36:15she just pulled out the DMV letter which

36:19said she owed the taxes, but um and she

36:23has till October 15th or whatever. So

36:26I'm going to take care of it on the 3rd

36:28of October like I paid it in full for

36:312223. So you know I manage her

36:34>> finances and

36:37the 2425

36:39I will pay

36:41in October 3rd when her disability come.

36:44But she does she's 90 years old and she

36:48just thinks she's Hercules and she's

36:50momy and don't tell her that she forgot

36:53and everything. So, I I let her I let

36:55her have, you know, cuz I don't want her

36:58to get discouraged. You know, she's up

37:00and about and everything. I got to watch

37:02her cuz she'll go jump in the car and

37:04drive up the post road and stuff. And,

37:06you know, I just

37:09come today. Um, what's his name?

37:13>> Donald.

37:14>> Yes.

37:16>> Donald Hayden. Yes. Um,

37:19>> helped me. I I reached out for help and

37:22guidance on what to do and how to do.

37:27>> So, I don't want her to lose her house

37:29or her car, you know. That's all she

37:31has.

37:32>> Okay.

37:35>> Um questions. [clears throat] So, so

37:39you're looking to um do a tax abatement

37:42on her property taxes?

37:44>> Yes. [clears throat]

37:46>> Yes.

37:47>> Any other questions?

37:49on the complete.

37:51>> Excuse me.

37:52>> Through you chair.

37:54>> Yes.

37:55>> Um on the complete bill or on the

37:58interest

37:59>> on the complete.

38:01>> Okay.

38:04>> Okay. You have any other questions? I do

38:07not

38:10>> question.

38:12Are you aware of [clears throat] how

38:14this works? No. Um, are you aware um

38:18that

38:19>> um in evading her taxes, the taxes don't

38:22actually go away, but she can stay in

38:24the home for the duration, right, as

38:26long as um she lives or if so long as

38:29she continues. There are some other

38:30programs for the elderly as well. Did

38:33Donald Hayden um tell you about them? I

38:36>> applied for

38:39programs

38:40>> at the in the office, one of the

38:43offices.

38:43>> I applied for the program. She got

38:45approved for that. He and they did tell

38:47me that the taxes would be

38:52not go away, but they'll collect them

38:55either when she passed away or if she

38:58sells the house or if a family member

39:00pays off the taxes, right? And

39:03>> um but that they right but they still do

39:05exist. And so I just want you to be

39:06aware of that and also aware that there

39:08are some other programs that you could

39:10tap into. I do know that some of them

39:12are it's a little late, but um just kind

39:15of making sure that you check back in a

39:18timely manner so that you can tap into

39:20some of the other resources that are

39:22available

39:24um to Victoria.

39:25>> Okay. Okay. In in assisting her in this

39:28matter.

39:29>> Um

39:30>> and and that is all. Thank you, Chair.

39:33>> Thank you.

39:34>> Okay.

39:36Alder Douglas.

39:37>> Yes. Thank you, Mr. Chair. So you did

39:38mention car, you mentioned automobile.

39:42She behind on her automobile taxes also.

39:45>> No, I I have paid it off, but they they

39:48are due now. The new ones that just came

39:51out is due now.

39:53>> Yeah.

39:55>> Yeah. When I got there, it was

40:00>> right. [clears throat] Thank you. Thank

40:01you, Mr. Chair. Okay. Anything further?

40:04>> No, sir.

40:08Okay. Thank you.

40:08>> All right. Thank you. Um you can stay

40:12and listen wait and hear the the

40:14decision or we can notify you.

40:18>> Yeah.

40:19>> So it's up to you. However you want to

40:21>> Okay.

40:21>> Okay.

40:22>> What they will call me.

40:23>> Mhm.

40:24>> Yes.

40:25>> Okay.

40:25>> Reach out to you.

40:27>> Okay. Great. Thank you. Thank y'all for

40:29hearing me. Thank you. Thank you. Have a

40:31nice

40:36Okay, thank you so much.

40:40>> Okay. [clears throat]

40:42Um, number two,

40:45um, property taxes for

40:50Malia [clears throat]

40:51Ray. Anyone, please step up.

41:00>> [clears throat]

41:04>> How's it going?

41:05>> Good evening. Can you please repeat your

41:06name and address for the record?

41:08>> Sure. My name is Alejandro Pab 452nd

41:12Street

41:1351. I'm here on behalf of my mother

41:16today, right?

41:17>> Okay. Please state

41:20>> yes.

41:21>> Um so, uh like I said, I'm here on

41:24behalf of my mother. She did submit a

41:26hardship letter. Mhm.

41:27>> Um but just a basic run through she did

41:31uh in late 2024 um begin her medical

41:36issues

41:38um December 24 to 25 um which eventually

41:44turned into uterine cancer last year. Um

41:47so during this period she she had the

41:50surgery she had to go through chemo. she

41:53is uh she's been going through treatment

41:56up until this today basically. Um so

42:00she's still going through things. Uh but

42:02during that time obviously suffering

42:05some of the side effects, one of those

42:06being brain fog, um severe fatigue,

42:10she's not able to do much.

42:12>> Um so our priorities shifted to her

42:16health. Um, also in that time I was made

42:20aware that the property taxes were not

42:22paid. Um, which is something that she

42:24was doing. Um,

42:27[clears throat and cough]

42:28every year she's pretty on point with

42:30with that stuff. Um, but unfortunately

42:33with the cancer and everything that came

42:35with it,

42:37things happened. Um, and once I became

42:40aware, I basically had to step in and uh

42:44sort of take charge, be in charge of of

42:48home life. Um, so it's not just with my

42:51mother who is 75. Um, but it's also with

42:53my father who's 82 now. So I'm

42:57essentially taking care of the both of

42:58them right now. Um,

43:01and this property my mom, she's owned

43:04for the last 41 years. Wow. Uh so one of

43:07the biggest things for her is you know

43:08it was a it was a huge feat for her to

43:10be able to purchase it. Uh and at the

43:13time she had my brother who was young.

43:16Um and so it was a big accomplishment

43:18for her and to be able to sustain it for

43:20the last 41 years and to see it uh

43:25potentially be given away because of

43:27this uh has been a huge stress on her as

43:30you can imagine. Um so our you know

43:34we're trying to eliminate that. Um I do

43:38know the basic knowledge of how the

43:40process works Mr. Aiden.

43:44Um so I am aware that the taxes do not

43:46go away. Um but it's not so much that

43:49we're asking for the taxes to be

43:52eliminated. It's it's more so to

43:54eliminate the the burden, the extra

43:56stress on my mother's shoulders, my

43:58father's shoulders, but my shoulders as

44:00well. Um, I am working I'm a

44:03[clears throat] licensed real estate in

44:04Connecticut,

44:06but I'm also on the admin team at my

44:08brokerage. So, I do have a more steady

44:11income uh right now. So, I plan to um

44:16you pay the taxes monthly, whatever that

44:20amount comes out to, but like I said,

44:22it's more so um just get, you know, that

44:26burden not having to worry about the

44:30house, you know, being taken away. It's

44:33something she worked hard for. So,

44:37[clears throat]

44:37>> she's not here tonight. I do want to

44:39point out one because

44:41uh issues with the the treatment and

44:43stuff, health issues, but also just the

44:45emotional factor. Um she's uh she's a

44:49little soft when it comes to So I have

44:54[clears throat] to step in. So

44:55>> I appreciate you guys.

44:56>> All right. Thank you. Do we have any

44:58questions?

45:01[clears throat]

45:02>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

45:04>> Not not so much a Well, it is a

45:07question. Mhm.

45:10>> The question is the same. Are you

45:13looking for a tax abatement for your

45:17mom?

45:18>> Yes.

45:19>> That's what I wanted to know. And as my

45:22um colleague um Alder uh Matala said it

45:27so graciously,

45:28the same will apply to you in reference

45:31to the knowledge of you know the taxes

45:34don't they don't totally go away. They

45:37they're like they're in abatement

45:38situation [clears throat] until you know

45:41whatever it is and then whoever wants to

45:44uh step up as a family member like a

45:46son.

45:47>> Yeah.

45:47>> Right. At some point that want to jump

45:50into it and save the the the uh

45:54historical

45:5541 years

45:57>> of the home

45:58>> at that time. That's what you know those

46:00things were put in place. I just wanted

46:02to give you information.

46:03>> Thank you.

46:04>> Any other questions?

46:09Okay. Thank you.

46:10>> Appreciate it. Thank you guys.

46:12>> Thank you. I can stick around.

46:14>> Correct.

46:20>> Move back. [laughter]

46:23>> Okay. Um number three,

46:28order concerning Congressional Bai

46:31Jacobs.

46:35How you doing?

46:36>> How you doing? Please state your name

46:38and address for the record.

46:39>> Your honorable Zman 40C drive,

46:42Connecticut. I represent the treasure of

46:44a Jacob synagogue, a tax exempt

46:47organization. Um, we had received the

46:50quadranal uh update. Uh, we mailed it in

46:54at the correct time. It did get lost.

46:56When we were notified, I resubmitted it.

46:59Um, it's a cemetery. uh it's no no other

47:03purpose other than a cemetery. And the

47:06question that I have is I went back 15

47:09years um back through secret you know

47:13through our office managers and also the

47:15person that runs the cemetery. We never

47:18received a request like the quadrrenial.

47:21We also have another cemetery that about

47:24100 years old

47:25>> and we never received a request for that

47:28either. So, I'm a little bit interested

47:31in how come all of a sudden this is the

47:33first time we were receiving,

47:35but I guess that's for somebody else.

47:37But we're a 501c3.

47:39>> Yes.

47:40>> We'll bring them up. I mean, there's

47:42city staff here, so they'll come up

47:44later.

47:45>> Okay.

47:46>> Um, but that's it. Um, this should be

47:49relatively easy. Uh, I know that

47:52Tom Tom White um already received the

47:56quadrantal report and he's abated the

47:59taxes for the next three years, but

48:01because it's on the record now for this

48:03year, we have I'm coming to the tax

48:06abatement committee.

48:07>> Okay. Okay. Um, like to have the tax

48:11office come up, please. Assessor's

48:13office. Tax [clears throat] assessor.

48:21the city.

48:23>> Good evening. Can you state your name

48:24and address for the record?

48:26>> Sure. My name is Michael. I'm from the

48:28assessor office 16.

48:31>> Please take this.

48:35>> Can you um give us information on the

48:37situation here?

48:38>> Yep. Simply the as stated the wasn't

48:41received

48:43required to be renewed every four years.

48:46Um wasn't received. to increase the

48:48exemption.

48:50>> Okay. So, you're saying

48:54that you saying that you haven't

48:55received it or

48:56>> No, no, we mailed it in. It

48:58[clears throat] wasn't received. We sent

48:59another copy in, but at post date after

49:02you've already done the taxes for this

49:05this year.

49:06>> Yeah.

49:09>> So, basically,

49:12um, all the way.

49:14>> Thank you, uh, Mr. Chair. The question

49:18that I'm I'm I'm curious as well, why

49:22now if they haven't received one in 15

49:25to 100 years?

49:26>> So that is from my understanding is

49:30impossible. The law has been since

49:33that's what I was just looking up now 19

49:36maybe 65

49:39that every four years cemeteries have to

49:41file a crenial tax uh tax return. So, I

49:44don't understand how any cemetery would

49:47be able to say that.

49:49>> I mean, we'll we'll get to the bottom of

49:51it. Okay.

49:52>> I probably go to my office and I'm sure

49:54I'll find the previous application

49:58and maybe even the previous one before

50:00that.

50:00>> Okay. Well, you didn't bring anything

50:01tonight.

50:02>> No, I I wasn't expecting anybody to say

50:04that they hadn't filed [laughter] one

50:07for 100 years. If that had been

50:10something that I was going to be

50:11notified beforehand, that would have

50:13brought something to apologize for that

50:15>> to potentially dispute dispute the

50:17information, but that was not meant to

50:19be beforehand.

50:20>> Thank you, Mr. Chair.

50:23>> Any [clears throat] other questions?

50:27>> Okay. Thank you.

50:28>> Okay. So, if I stick around

50:40Is there anyone [clears throat] else

50:41from the public that wants to speak?

50:45Is there anyone else from the public

50:46that wishes to speak?

50:50Third time. Is there anyone else from

50:51the public that wishes to speak?

50:54>> I move we close the public portion.

50:56>> Second.

50:57>> Okay. Move. Second.

51:00All in favor?

51:02>> Any oppose?

51:04Okay.

51:05>> Public session. If public session is now

51:09closed,

51:11>> Mr. Chair, I move item number one.

51:15>> Second.

51:16>> Item number one, we move in and second

51:17discussion.

51:21>> All the D.

51:22>> Uh, thank you, Mr. Chair.

51:24[clears throat and cough]

51:25Given the circumstances and the age

51:28factor u and the health health reasons I

51:33think we should uh defer

51:37to tax.

51:40>> U Mr. Chair I echo what order said I

51:45think we should give her the full tax.

51:53Um, thank you.

51:55>> Um, yes, I am definitely for um in

51:59support of abating um the taxes for

52:02Victoria B.

52:10>> All in favor?

52:12>> I.

52:13>> Okay. Any oppos? The eyes have it.

52:16>> Mr. Chair, I move item number two.

52:19>> Second.

52:20>> Okay. Item two will be moved and second.

52:23Um let's have discussion.

52:31>> Uh as the previous

52:36um my previous comment about u deferring

52:39the taxes being collected for the

52:43reasons of not only the age factor but

52:46healthwise. I also

52:50wish that we would uh defer taxes also

52:54and

52:56permit

52:57abatement.

52:59>> Okay, miss Mr. Chair, I echo what my

53:03other colleague said. I think we should

53:05I think we should abate.

53:08>> All [clears throat] in favor?

53:11>> I

53:13I

53:15Any oppose? Get the eyes have it.

53:19>> I move item number three.

53:22>> Second

53:27discussion.

53:31Who's checking? Me. Oh, [laughter]

53:36[clears throat]

53:36>> I am in favor of um

53:42waving the taxes or baiting the taxes um

53:45for the cemetery. Um just making sure

53:48that um that they're aware that every

53:51four years that we have to fill the

53:53cemetery.

53:55>> Thank you, chair.

53:56>> Okay.

53:58All there.

54:01>> Thank you, Mr. Chair. I I'm also in

54:03favor of the uh tax abatement for them.

54:07You know, it's curious like the

54:09paperwork that comes through the city

54:11sometime because it's so much paperwork

54:13that goes back and forth. You know, 115

54:17years is a long time not to get a piece

54:18of paper. But I'm just thinking in

54:21general, you know, at some point, you

54:24know, the books got to match, right?

54:26like you know um perhaps it did perhaps

54:30it didn't but I would moving forward I

54:32think that something should be put in

54:34place or tag the city to say you got to

54:37send these letters out okay

54:42>> Douglas

54:42>> thank you Mr.

54:44But on the other hand, I do

54:47um hope that the presenter

54:52>> is aware now that every four years

54:57>> this should be attended to.

54:59>> Mhm.

55:00>> I mean that's that's 115 years

55:03regardless.

55:06>> Not to be procedures or anything like

55:07that.

55:09Taxpayers know that every year you owe

55:13taxes. You got to pay your taxes.

55:15Regardless you get a letter or not, you

55:18have to pay your taxes.

55:20>> Thank [snorts] you, Mr. Chair.

55:24>> I think that um Mr. Chair, that the fact

55:27that that cemeteries are non-t taxable

55:29in Connecticut could have been to the

55:32fact that that's why they weren't

55:34pursuing the matter, thinking perhaps on

55:36their part. um to say we don't pay taxes

55:39anyways and that's why they did not send

55:41us the form. However, if this board

55:44thinks back to a couple of months back,

55:46we had a similar situation with the

55:48Willie Avenue cemetery

55:50>> uh and the application as well. So, um I

55:54think it's something for us to note to

55:56the city regarding the applications of

55:58these cemeteries and having

55:59[clears throat] some continuity on how

56:01we are to collect these taxes, how we

56:04are billing these taxes. Thank you, Mr.

56:07Chair. Okay.

56:10>> All in favor?

56:12>> I.

56:12>> Any oppose?

56:15The eyes.

56:17>> I move item number four.

56:20No. No more. Item number four. We're

56:23going to pass item four.

56:26>> Mr. Chair,

56:28make a motion that we adjourn. Second.

56:34All in favor? I. Any opposed? The eyes

56:38have it.

56:42>> Thank you, sir.

56:46>> Good job.

56:49Thank you, colleagues. Hello. Hello.

56:53>> [clears throat]

56:54>> How you doing,

56:56>> my man?

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