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Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Palmer Lake lawsuit alleges mismanagement in finances and civic participation
(EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) — An array of organizations and individuals are raising questions about the integrity of leadership in Palmer Lake, with some alleging suppression of civic participation, mishandling of funds, and disregard for open meeting laws ahead of the Buc-ee's annexation hearing on Thursday, May 29. A lawsuit, from two individuals who live in Palmer Lake, alleges the town has misused public funds and falsified reports to obtain $1.3 million in state and federal dollars. The complaint also states that the town administrators allegedly diverted grant funds into the municipal water utility. According to the lawsuit, there were various instances where funds from the American Rescue Plan Act, Fixing America's Surface Transportation, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and more were misused. The lawsuit further alleges that Dawn Collins, the appointed Town Administrator, 'did not understand the legal status of the Town's Water Enterprise and the distinction between it and the Town's General Fund' and had the two individuals become concerned that Collins had 'fraudulently created municipal financial statements and recordings.' 'We spent nearly three years trying to help the Town recognize and correct basic financial red flags,' said Marty Brodzik, a Palmer Lake citizen and co-relator in the fraud case. 'Instead of fixing the issues, they ignored us. Then the accounting firm quit, the auditor quit, the financial clerk quit—and the Town still did nothing. Our hope now is that the weight of this lawsuit will help level the field for the citizens attending the upcoming hearing.' The lawsuit further alleges that the city only has one bank account, even though the city's Municipal Code requires the annual budget to provide for revenues and expenditures into four separate funds for the Conservation Trust Fund, Water Enterprise Fund, the Water Enterprise Capital Improvement Fund, and the General Fund. Collins managed both the General Fund and Water Enterprise; however, the lawsuit states the General Fund's monthly checks register failed to identify missing checks, including those that were voided, voided and reissued, or issued and never entered. The lawsuit further alleges that the Water Enterprise fund revenues were misused. When asked, the Town of Palmer Lake sent the following statement: '…Now that this is a matter subject to pending litigation, the Town has no comment except to note that the assertions by the complainants appear to relate primarily to how funds received by the Town and expended for public purposes were allocated and accounted for in the Town's financial records. The Town's financial records are audited each year by independent auditors. Each year the auditors have issued the Town an audit opinion that the Town's financial statements in all material respects were in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. The auditors routinely provide recommendations for improvement with which the Town has always complied.' Dawn Collins, Town of Palmer Lake Town Administrator Read the full lawsuit here: Palmer-Lake-TRO-Petition-Posting-Final-2Download Separate from the fraud case, Integrity Matters and various Palmer Lake community members have also filed a temporary restraining order looking to remove a publicly posted petition from the Town's website that contained full names, addresses, and partially visible signatures. According to court documents, various community members and petition circulators emailed the Town to redact or remove their personal information, and the Clerk had allegedly refused most requests. On May 21, the city refused to make any more redactions or remove the petition. The temporary restrictions order would immediately direct the town to remove all publicly posted petition documents containing personally identifying information from its website. Another temporary restraining order also asked the town to relocate the May 29 annexation eligibility as the current venue has allegedly excluded dozens and fails to meet the standards of the Open Meetings Law and the Municipal Annexation Act. 'Our hope,' said Integrity Matters Chief Legal Counsel, Kat Gayle, 'is that these developments—including the new lawsuit—finally push the Mayor and the Trustees facing recall to confront the truth: this is not how responsible government behaves.' FOX21 News has reached out to the Palmer Lake Mayor and is awaiting comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Miami Herald
28-05-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Unpaid Taxes Could Put Your Passport at Risk - Clear Start Tax Explains IRS Travel Restrictions
Clear Start Tax Warns That Tax Debt May Result in Passport Denial or Revocation - and What Taxpayers Can Do About It IRVINE, CA / ACCESS Newswire / May 28, 2025 / If you owe back taxes to the IRS, your next trip abroad could be in jeopardy. According to Clear Start Tax, a trusted tax resolution firm, the IRS has the legal authority to restrict or revoke a taxpayer's passport when unpaid federal tax debt reaches a certain threshold. Under a 2015 law known as the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act, the IRS can certify "seriously delinquent tax debt" to the U.S. State Department, triggering a block on passport renewal or even revocation. For frequent travelers, business professionals, or anyone planning international travel, the consequences can be both unexpected and severe. What Counts as "Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt"? According to IRS guidelines, seriously delinquent tax debt includes: An unpaid federal tax balance of $62,000 or more (adjusted annually for inflation)A final notice of intent to levy has been issuedThe taxpayer has not entered into a resolution such as an installment agreement or offer in compromise "Most taxpayers don't realize that unresolved tax debt can directly impact their ability to travel," said the Head of Client Solutions at Clear Start Tax. "We've assisted clients who were surprised to learn their passport applications were denied due to IRS enforcement-and it often happens at the worst possible time." Who Is Most Likely to Face Passport Restrictions? Clear Start Tax notes that taxpayers most likely to be impacted by passport restrictions include: Those with longstanding back tax balancesIndividuals who have ignored multiple IRS noticesTaxpayers unaware of their debt reaching the enforcement thresholdBusiness owners or self-employed individuals with multiple years of unpaid returns How to Avoid Losing Passport Privileges Fortunately, travel restrictions can often be lifted once the taxpayer enters into a formal resolution with the IRS. Clear Start Tax helps clients prevent or reverse passport actions through programs such as: Installment Agreements - Formal monthly payment plans to regain good standingOffer in Compromise (OIC) - Settle the debt for less than what's owedCurrently Not Collectible (CNC) status - Pause collections due to financial hardshipImmediate case review and IRS communication for urgent travel situations "Passport holds can be resolved-but only if you act before your departure date," added the Head of Client Solutions. "We help clients resolve tax issues quickly so travel plans aren't disrupted." Clear Start Tax: Helping Taxpayers Stay on Track-And On the Move Whether you're planning a vacation, traveling for work, or renewing your passport for future use, tax debt should never be a reason to miss out. Clear Start Tax provides: Full IRS account review to assess passport riskResolution strategies tailored to urgency and financial statusOngoing compliance support to prevent future restrictionsFast-tracked communication with the IRS when timing matters About Clear Start Tax Clear Start Tax is a full-service tax liability resolution firm that serves taxpayers throughout the United States. The company specializes in assisting individuals and businesses with a wide range of IRS and state tax issues, including back taxes, wage garnishment relief, IRS appeals, and offers in compromise. Clear Start Tax helps taxpayers apply for the IRS Fresh Start Program, providing expert guidance in tax resolution. Fully accredited and A+ rated by the Better Business Bureau, the firm's unique approach and commitment to long-term client success distinguish it as a leader in the tax resolution industry. Need Help With Back Taxes?Click the link below: Contact Information Clear Start TaxCorporate Communications Departmentseo@ 535-1627 SOURCE: Clear Start Tax
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Advisory team will drive overhaul of US railroad regulator
There's a new advisory crew at the federal Surface Transportation Board, which oversees the business of freight railroading. Sharon Clark, Rob Reilly and Chris Bertram have joined the agency as senior advisers, temporary positions designed to help drive Chairman Patrick Fuchs' reform agenda within the agency, a release stated. 'Sharon, Rob, and Chris bring extensive experience, immense knowledge, and invaluable perspectives that will greatly benefit the Board's reform efforts,' Fuchs said in the release. 'I am grateful that these accomplished and distinguished executives will help the Board become more efficient and effective for all stakeholders.' Clark most recently served as senior vice president with responsibility for transportation, compliance and regulatory affairs at Perdue AgriBusiness LLC. She served on the National Grain & Feed Association's Foundation, Executive Committee and board of directors, and chaired the NGFA Arbitration Appeals Panel from 2017-2023 and was a member of the NGFA Rail Arbitration Committee from 1999-2022. Clark also worked with the STB as a member of the Railroad-Shipper Transportation Advisory Council and National Grain Car most recently served as executive vice president and chief operating officer at Canadian National Railway (NYSE: CNI). He began his railroad career in 1989 at the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, now BNSF, rising to vice president of operations for the Southern Transcon route connecting Los Angeles and Chicago. Reilly also served as chairman of the Belt Railway of Chicago, the largest U.S. switching terminal railroad co-owned by the six Class I railroads. A partner at political consultant B&S Strategies, Bertram served as the staff director for the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2012-2016. During his tenure, the committee's legislative accomplishments included enactment of the $305 billion, five-year Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act; reauthorization of the Surface Transportation Board and Amtrak; and enactment of the Water Resources Reform and Development Act covering ports and waterways infrastructure. As chief financial officer for the U.S. Department of Transportation from 2009-2012, Bertram oversaw the agency's $70 billion budget. He has also held positions with the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and the Office of Management and Budget in the Executive Office of the President. The trio will work closely with Fuchs to provide strategic counsel and support initiatives aimed at improving the agency's operations. Their primary focus areas will include streamlining processes, improving collaboration and transparency, and ensuring a more efficient and effective regulatory environment for the nation's surface transportation to FreightWaves' Rail e-newsletter and get the latest insights on rail freight right in your inbox. Find more articles by Stuart Chirls Logistics report shows surge stressing US rail ramps after tariffs slashed CN continues work to expand capacity and fluidity in Vancouver Southern California international intermodal volume sees weekly decline State of Freight takeaways: Freight crash may turn into sudden revivalThe post Advisory team will drive overhaul of US railroad regulator appeared first on FreightWaves.
