05/12/2019
Why Can We Not Resolve This?
Friday, May 10, 2019
7:56 AM
TO:
Sacramento City Council
Sacramento Board of Supervisors
California Board Of Equalization Tax Advocate’s Office
RE:
PARCEL NUMBER 014-0188-017-0000
DEFAULT NUMBER 13-12267963-00
3200 42nd St., Sacramento, CA 94817
On June 7, 2018 Howard Chan, Sacramento City Manager, wrote:
Greetings Rev Odeye,
Our Community Develoopment Director, Ryan DeVore, will be reaching out to you this week to see how we can assist. A meeting can be scheduled if our efforts do not resolve this issue for you.
Hope you are well!
Howard
Because of this email, we were led in good faith to believe in and rely on the fact that things would be done to resolve our issues as had been promised for years. Since then, two people have been assigned to follow through with this; Ryan DeVore and Chris Conlin. Neither acted to assist us, nor did either attempt to set up a meeting to help resolve this matter. Both only tried to justify the inaction of City officials with regards to our request for resolution, which leaves us where we are today; fighting to keep our property from the tax sale axe.
The State Tax and Revenue code states:
It is not the policy of the state to increase the burdens of taxation beyond the necessary cost of collection, or to impose any greater burdens in a redemption from a delinquent tax sale than are necessary to secure the payment of the original tax. All matters of taxation are resolved in favor of the taxpayer, and express statutory authorization should be found for each item of cost to be imposed upon him. San Francisco etc. L. Co. v. Banbury, 106 Cal. 129, 134.
At no time during the past two years and before, were we offered any resolution or redemption plan other than pay us the money we say without explanation, when there are even established plans to do so, which we could and would have taken advantage of while we negotiated a resolution. Why is this? Why is the City not willing to open its records to us as required by law? Why have the City and County refused to meet with us as required by law to even attempt to resolve our issues and concerns? Why is the City and County so intent on taking the residence and property from where our non-profit organization and church have served not only the dis advantaged and under-represented Sacramento City and County communities, but many communities throughout California with no assistance from the City, County, or State; for questionable “taxes”, when corporations, and developers are allowed to go tax free, and get assistance of all kinds? Why are the City and County always willing and ready to meet with the corporations, developers, and the wealthy to address their concerns and wants, when people and small organizations like Olufunmi are left in a void and can hardly get them to even hear or examine our concerns and issues?
Is it because the City and County are rife with officials who lack the integrity we expect from our public officials. Who doggedly stand by the parts of the laws and codes which allow them to blindly ignore their duty to serve the public fairly and justly. Then ignore the parts that are there to protect the rights of citizens from the abuse of power. Is it because our organization has always questioned them and attempted to hold them accountable when we see them violating the rights and will of the people they serve; especially the disadvantaged and under -represented? Or, as in our case, when there is malfeasance alleged of a public official. Then with little or no unbiased over-site, and what little over-site there is being hampered by self-absorbed officials not really concerned with their obligation to do right by the people because they feel they are immune from public scrutiny, we end up with a situation like ours.
We have been systematically lied to, and our rights ignored and abridged. We have had no due process and demand that the City Council and the County Board of Supervisors put a stop to the unwarranted and unnecessary sale of our headquarters residence, and insist that we have our meeting to resolve the issues so we can continue to serve and better serve the community.
Rev Ashiya Odeye
[email protected]
Rev Onatti Jellether Moore
[email protected]
To Our Community,
Since 1976, Olufunmi has been a spiritual, civil rights, and cultural force in the communities of California. Over the years we have helped thousands of people in many communities. Always independent, always being a progressive force for positive change, accountability, and equal rights and justice for all. Since 1999 we have served the Sacramento Area community; and since 2005 organized and sponsor the Justice Reform Coalition, which is tasked with addressing and working to change the systemic abuses of people and their human rights, especially among the disenfranchised, disadvantaged, discriminated, and under-represented.
But now we need your help! We need you to endorse and send the attached email asking for our Community House, in Oak Park, to be removed from the tax sale, the records requested given, and a meeting be set to address our issues and concerns with the improper handling by City and County officials of our property, and get a just and fair resolution of them.
We also need you to show up at the Tuesday, May 14, 2019 meetings of the Board Of Supervisors, and the City Council to support our cause. The info is below. See you there!
Peace, Love, Health, & Happiness
Rev Ashiya Odeye
Rev Onatti Jellether Moore
Sac Board Of Supervisors Meeting
County Administration Center
700 H Street, Room 1450
Sacramento, CA 95814
9:30 AM
Sac City Council Meeting
City Hall Council Chamber
915 I St., 1st Flr
5pm
