Beacon Falls candidates behind on taxes

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BFTownHall2

BEACON FALLS — Three of 27 candidates running for office next week hadn’t paid their tax bills as of Wednesday afternoon, with some owing taxes dating back to 2003, town officials said.

There was a fourth candidate with outstanding motor vehicle taxes Wednesday morning, but Brian Ploss, a Republican who is seeking re-election to the Board of Finance, paid his taxes in full later that day after he spoke to a reporter.

One of the three candidates owing taxes, Benjamin Smith, a Republican who is seeking election to the Zoning Board of Appeals, said he wasn’t aware of his outstanding motor vehicle tax bill and will pay it as soon as possible.

According to the tax collector’s office, Smith, son of Republican First Selectman Gerard Smith, owes $59.18, including interest, on a motorcycle for the 2012 grand list.

Tax bills went out late this year in July, with bills becoming delinquent on about Aug. 8.

Democratic selectman candidate Peter Betkoski, who operates Betkoski Brothers at 332 Bethany Road, is current on his real estate taxes at 344 Bethany Road, according to the tax collector’s office.

However, he owes $4,566.81 in taxes, including interest, on a garage at 332 Bethany Road. That figure includes taxes for the 2011 and 2012 grand list. He has made some payment on taxes owed for the 2011 grand list, according to the office.

Under his business, Betkoski owes $3,376.02 on personal property, with taxes dating back to 2003, according to the tax collector’s office. He also owes $85.21 on a vehicle at the business from the 2012 grand list.

The last payment made on those personal property taxes was in October 2009, the office said.

Betkoski said he is fully aware of the obligation of owing back taxes, and he is working on clearing it up by the first of the year, if not sooner. His business was established in 1945 and pays a lot of taxes in town, he said.

He made a payment of $10,500 in June, and there is a balance for personal property taxes, Betkoski said. He said he has tried to contact Tax Collector Ursula Henry to make a payment arrangement, but she has no set hours and he hasn’t been able to reach her.

“I’m trying my best,” Betkoski said.

According to the tax collector’s office, Democrat David Rybinski, who is seeking election to the Region 16 Board of Education, owes a total of $575.78 in taxes, including interest, on three vehicles for the 2012 grand list. He is current on his real estate taxes.

His business, Emergency Vehicle Concept, located at his residence at 7 Quail Hollow Court, owes back taxes on personal property totaling $2,244.30 including interest, which dates back to 2003, according to the tax collector’s office. He hasn’t paid anything on it, the office states.

Rybinski declined to comment.

Ploss was current on his real estate, but had owed a total of $917.38 in motor vehicle taxes including interest on two vehicles, according to the office. Before he paid his taxes in full, Ploss said he runs a small business and was expecting to clear out those bills as soon as he was paid by two clients.