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International-UN-NGOs
A towering slap in N Y City's face-U N deadbeats!
2004-10-25
Foreign countries that own prime city real estate worth more than $200 million have found an easy way to avoid property tax in New York City - just refuse to pay.
When the city sends a bill, deadbeat nations often just ignore it. When a city tax assessor knocks, they often will not open the consulate door.

In fact, at least seven countries currently have balances due of $106 million in property tax, according to city computer records obtained by the Daily News.

For New York City, those debts present a challenge. By law, the city cannot foreclose or even enforce a lien on a foreign nation's property, even when it is rented or used for commercial purposes - uses that make it partly subject to property tax.

7 WHO ARE SHAMED

Foreign missions are exempt from New York City property tax - but only to the extent that each property is actually used for diplomatic purposes. The city believes this money represents nondiplomatic property taxes.

1 Hungary $49.7 million
2 Phillipines $24.1 million
3 India $22.2 million
4 Guinea $5.4 million
5 Mongolia $2.8 million
6 Nepal $836,000
7 Nigeria $689,000
Posted by:Mark Espinola

#13  just kick all of the diplomats out of new york, that would solve alot more than unpaid taxes
Posted by: smokeysinse   2004-10-25 5:18:37 PM  

#12  The other option is to simply deduct it from the US payments to the UN with an IOU indicating the remaining can be collected from said cheapskates.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2004-10-25 2:52:52 PM  

#11  Remove the cops.
Posted by: Dr Jimmy OBrien   2004-10-25 2:08:28 PM  

#10  Turn off the water.
Posted by: mojo   2004-10-25 11:37:18 AM  

#9  ed:
"Just what does Hungary own is NY? All of 5th Avenue?"

If you count hungarian George Soros, they may soon own all of it.
Posted by: Urako   2004-10-25 10:57:28 AM  

#8  Open up the sewers in front of the building. Start permanent "roadwork" blocking all access to the building (especially blocking parking access). Cut electrical and phone wires by "accident". Open up the walkway in front of the building, forcing pedestrians to walk on unstable wooden planks in the middle of gaping holes of stinking mud. Send safety inspectors, ready to declare the building unsafe due to fire and sanitation risks.

If they're serious about getting the money, there ought to be ways to send friendly reminders of why the money is needed.
Posted by: Kalle (kafir forever)   2004-10-25 10:55:23 AM  

#7  Just what does Hungary own is NY? All of 5th Avenue?
Posted by: ed   2004-10-25 10:02:26 AM  

#6  I have access to a bank account that would pay the Nigerian taxes. If that government will just send me ten percent of the total for fees and paperwork, I'll get right on it.
Posted by: Chuck Simmins   2004-10-25 9:57:57 AM  

#5  Right on, PD - I should've made that clearer.
Posted by: .com   2004-10-25 9:12:25 AM  

#4  Lol, AP - the perfect solution!
Posted by: .com   2004-10-25 9:09:11 AM  

#3  .com:

with a proviso: that the aid money that would have gone to the country, go to NYC.

signed, PD, a manhattanite (!)
Posted by: PlanetDan   2004-10-25 9:08:55 AM  

#2  Good start, .com. How about this? Cut off their water and sewer. They will be in deep sh*t before you know it. That will get their attention.
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2004-10-25 9:07:24 AM  

#1  Well, for starters, deduct the owed amounts from their Foreign Aid, with a nice penalty at, say, the prime rate dating back to when the due date on the taxes passed. Then, for any outstanding amounts beyond that, stop paying any taxes of any kind in those countries and No aid of any other kind, whatsoever, until the debts are paid.

Let's declare something completely new in International Relations: a level playing field.
Posted by: .com   2004-10-25 6:52:45 AM  

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