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July 10, 2005Errors pile up in review of recordsSuspended assessor's work evaluatedByRecord-Eagle staff writer TRAVERSE CITY - Several East Bay Township homes - including one purchased for $250,000 - don't exist on the tax rolls, according to a township committee's review of property tax records. For example, a $250,000 property on Cherry Ridge Drive is assessed as vacant land with a taxable value of $16,000. "There was a building permit issued, a sales price listed and 100 percent homestead exemption granted, but the property is listed as vacant," county equalization director Laurie Spencer said. "I wish I knew if there is a pattern, but I just think the problem is they are not field-checking property." Spencer is among members of a committee evaluating the work of suspended East Bay Township assessor Tammi Simerson. Simerson's mother, township clerk Jan Gee, has been charged with seven felony counts of embezzlement from the township. Special forensic accountants hired by the township alleged that Gee altered Simerson's income tax records to benefit Simerson in the amount of $2,475. Simerson was not charged because county prosecutor Alan Schneider said there was no evidence she had knowledge of the alleged embezzlement. Township supervisor Glen Lile suspended Simerson with pay pending the outcome of an ongoing investigation into the financial records of the township. The committee found several examples of both new and old homes that were not on the tax rolls, plus a condominium unit where just one of the three owners was assessed for the building. The committee will present its recommendation to the township board when it meets at 7:30 p.m. Monday. Also on the committee are township trustees Susan LaRose and Leroy "Butch" Strait. Strait could not be reached for comment. LaRose was subject to a surprise reassessment of her home by Simerson just a week before the August 2004 primary in which she defeated an incumbent trustee. She declined to comment for this story. Spencer said the committee's investigation confirmed what she has suspected since a county-wide marketing study of lakefront property performed by her office in 2004. Of 61 property cards pulled in East Bay Township, all had errors, she said. Spencer said the error rate for the rest of the county was closer to 5 percent. In addition to homes assessed as vacant lots, Spencer found a two-story, two-and-a-half bath home on the property card turned out to be a small trailer. A home listed at 1,100 square feet was closer to 2,000 square feet. Overall, Spencer said the mistakes, which directly affect the amount of property taxes paid, tended to favor homeowners. Since her suspension Simerson has not returned messages left at her home. However, in 2004 she said she gave the county the paper property cards instead of printing off updated records from their computer. This time the committee reviewed the computer records also, Spencer said. It's not just Simerson who's under scrutiny, Spencer said. Some of the flawed records date back to her predecessors. "East Bay has let this go on for some time," Spencer said. Last year Spencer drafted a letter of complaint to the state assessors board. Had the state confirmed Spencer's findings, it could have ordered a complete reassessment of the entire township by an outside firm or possibly have taken over the township's tax rolls. County administrator Dennis Aloia never approved the letter, so it was not sent. "It was a problem that needed to be addressed, but I thought it was important we give the township time to address it," Aloia said. Aaron Mead, former director of Garfield Township's assessing office, in 2004 was critical of Spencer for meddling in township affairs and questioned any data she produced. "I can take you to any (township) office and find 100 percent errors," Mead said. See Related Stories: Public backs East Bay Township probe leading to arrest of clerk - June 28, 2005 East Bay Township clerk charged with embezzlement felonies - June 23, 2005 Township officials pushed for audit leading to Gee's arrest - June 23, 2005
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