Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Taxes

Santa Ana grants a COVID-19 extension for business license renewals

Posted on by Posted in Business, Civic Affairs, Disease, Emergencies, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

The City of Santa Ana is taking additional measures to help local businesses impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Customers who have a City of Santa Ana Business License Annual Tax filing or bill due date of March 31, 2020, will receive an automatic extension to pay and/or file through April 30, 2020, without incurring additional penalty or interest. All business tax customers are encouraged to file and or pay by March 31.

Customers can make use of our free online payment portal at www.santa-ana.org/businesstaxbillpay or they may renew by mail addressing envelopes to CITY OF SANTA ANA, PO BOX 1964, SANTA ANA CA 92702 .For specific inquires on your account please email us at BusinessTax@santa-ana.org or call us at (714) 647-5447.

For more information and updates about COVID-19 and City services, go to www.santa-ana.org/covid19.

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La Ciudad de Santa Ana está tomando medidas adicionales para ayudar a las empresas locales afectadas por la pandemia COVID-19.

Los clientes que tienen una licencia de negocios o fractura anual de impuestos de negocio de la Ciudad de Santa Ana con fecha de vencimiento del 31 de marzo del 2020, recibirán una extensión automática para pagar o renovar la licencia de negocio hasta el 30 de abril 2020, sin incurrir en multas o intereses adicionales. Se alienta a todos los clientes que tienen licencia de negocio que pague o renueva la licencia el 31 de marzo del 2020.

Los clientes pueden usar el portal de pago en www.santa-ana.org/businesstaxbillpay o puede renovar por correo enviando sobres a CITY OF SANTA ANA, PO BOX 1964, SANTA ANA CA 92702. Para consultas específicas sobre su cuenta, por favor envíenos un correo electrónico a BusinessTax@santa-ana.org o llámenos al (714) 647-5447.

Para más información y actualizaciones sobre COVID-19 y servicios de la Ciudad, visite www.santa-ana.org/covid19.

The County of Orange is reviewing property tax payments delayed by COVID-19

Posted on by Posted in Michelle Steel, Orange County, Shari Freidenrich, Taxes Leave a comment

Michelle Steel, Chairwoman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors worked together with Treasurer-Tax Collector, Shari Freidenrich to review late penalties and fees for property owners in Orange County. This individual review would be for reasons related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Property owners will be able to submit a request for penalty cancellation online if they unable to pay property taxes by the April 10th deadline.

“This property tax penalty review would give our Orange County property owners the safety net they need if they have been effected by circumstances of the coronavirus outbreak,” said Chairwoman Steel. “In this time of great stress and uncertainty, it is important that we provide as much support as we can to protect the livelihoods of our residents. This tax penalty review offers that support.”

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First elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors in 2014, Michelle Steel represents the residents of the Second District, which includes, Costa Mesa, Cypress, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Seal Beach, Stanton, the unincorporated area of Rossmoor, and portions of Buena Park and Fountain Valley. Steel, a successful businesswoman and renowned taxpayer advocate, previously served as Vice Chair of the State Board of Equalization where she represented more than eight million people in Southern California, including all of Orange County, as one of the state’s 12 constitutional officers.

Orange County has canceled their annual property tax auction

Posted on by Posted in Orange County, Real Estate, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

The Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector has canceled the property tax auction scheduled for Monday, March 23, following the closure of the County Service Center on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. The closure was a precautionary measure to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The Treasurer-Tax Collector expects to offer all remaining properties on the auction list at the next auction if the delinquent property taxes remain unpaid. We are tentatively planning to hold the next auction online later this year. We appreciate your interest in the Orange County Property Tax Auction.

You can sign up to receive text message or email alerts on upcoming tax auctions at ocgov.com/octaxauctionreminder. To get the latest information on the upcoming property tax payment deadline, sign up for the secured property tax reminders at ocgov.com/octaxreminder or visit ttc.ocgov.com.

For the latest information on COVID-19, go to ochealthinfo.com/novelcoronavirus.

Sarmiento appoints the first undocumented immigrant to a Santa Ana City Committee

Posted on by Posted in Civic Affairs, immigration, Santa Ana, Taxes 12 Comments

SANTA ANA, CA — Carlos Perea is a Santanero at heart. He arrived in the city at age 14 from Mexico to join his family, graduated from nearby Los Amigos High School and Santa Ana College, and went on to become an immigration advocate who led local efforts to create several immigrant aid programs.

Now Mr. Perea, 28, is the first Santa Ana resident who is undocumented to serve on a citywide board, commission or committee. He also is believed to be the first undocumented person to serve in such a capacity among all 34 cities in Orange County.

On Feb. 18, 2020, at the recommendation of Councilmember Vicente Sarmiento, the Santa Ana City Council appointed Mr. Perea to the Measure X Citizen Oversight Committee, a resident-led group that advises the City Council on how revenues and expenditures from the recently approved sales tax measure are utilized.

“The City of Santa Ana is a leader in celebrating and supporting immigrants, which helps keep our community safe, inclusive and economically vibrant,” said Councilmember Sarmiento. “I appreciate Carlos’s courage in being an active member of his community and encouraging others to do the same.”

The Measure X Citizen Oversight Committee was established as part of a sales tax measure, Measure X, which was approved by Santa Ana voters on Nov. 6, 2018. Measure X authorized a 1.5 percent sales tax for 10 years, through 2029, and reducing that sales tax to 1 percent 10 years thereafter, through 2039. The revenues generated from the new sales tax supports the City’s General Fund, which funds emergency 9-1-1 response, fire and police services, homelessness, streets repair, youth and senior services, and more.

In addition to requiring annual audits, the ballot measure also mandated a citizen oversight committee. When the qualifications to serve on the committee were set, the City Council required that a committee member be a resident — instead of a registered voter — of Santa Ana. To be a registered voter, one must be a U.S. citizen. If this were a requirement, undocumented persons would not be allowed to serve on this committee.

“I appreciate the opportunity to serve on the Measure X Citizen Oversight Committee to help ensure that sale tax revenues are spent responsibly and in the best interest of all Santa Ana residents,” Mr. Perea said. “I’m also proud to be part of a community that empowers all of its residents, regardless of their immigration status, to be civically engaged. With easy policy changes, such as eliminating citizenship requirements to serve on the Measure X Citizen Oversight Committee, Santa Ana continues to lead in uplifting
immigrant rights in Orange County by removing barriers to participation in their local government.”

Mr. Perea, who graduated from California State University, Long Beach in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, led advocacy and organizing efforts that resulted in the creation of the Santa Ana Sanctuary Ordinance and Santa Ana Universal Representation Program. In 2017, Carlos helped found the Orange County Justice Fund, which advocates for effective legal representation and due process for immigrants in detention and deportation.

The City of Santa Ana facilitates 11 boards, commissions and committees that serve in an advisory role to the City Council. For more information, visit https://www.santa-ana.org/cc/appointed-boards-and-commission.

O.C. business owner faces tax evasion charges totaling nearly $30 million

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Federal Government, Fraud, IRS, Justice, Santa Ana, Taxes 2 Comments

SANTA ANA, California – An Orange County business owner is named in a federal grand jury indictment unsealed today that charges him with tax evasion for failing to pay to the Internal Revenue Service nearly $30 million in payroll taxes, penalties and interest related to money that had been withheld from the salaries of employees of his various temporary worker companies.

Luis E. Perez – who has maintained residences in Anaheim Hills, Yorba Linda and Dove Canyon – is charged with one felony count of tax evasion in an indictment returned by a grand jury on August 28.

Perez’s companies – which include Checkmates Staffing Inc.; Staffaide Inc.; BaronHR, LLC; and Fortress Holding Group, LLC – were required to withhold taxes from employee wages and to pay the withheld amounts to the IRS on a periodic basis. These withheld taxes, sometimes known as “trust fund taxes,” include income taxes and Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) taxes that fund Social Security and Medicare.

The indictment alleges that for the tax years 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2010, Perez’s companies failed to pay the IRS the payroll taxes, including trust fund taxes that Perez’s companies withheld from employees’ paychecks. Beginning in June 2007, the IRS attempted to collect Perez’s outstanding tax liability, including penalties and interest. By February 2017, the outstanding balance had grown to $29,593,378, which included the unpaid taxes, interest and the “Trust Fund Recovery Penalty.”

The indictment alleges that Perez attempted to thwart the IRS’s collection efforts by purchasing luxury items – including numerous cars and a boat – and concealing his ownership by placing the titles of these items in the names of his businesses and other individuals. Those luxury items included a 2005 Ferrari 360 Spider F, a 2007 Rolls Royce Phantom, a Duffy D 22 Bay Island boat, a 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS, a 2015 Mercedes-Benz G-Class, and a 2014 Lamborghini Aventador.

As part of his efforts to impede the IRS, Perez allegedly made false statements to IRS revenue officers during interviews and failed to include material information in documents submitted to the IRS. For example, Perez falsely claimed that he received a salary of only $1,000 per week from BaronHR and he did not receive any other funds from the company, according to the indictment.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in court.

Perez is expected to be arraigned on this indictment later this month.

If convicted, Perez would face a statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison.

This matter is being investigated by IRS Criminal Investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Brett A. Sagel of the Santa Ana Branch Office.

Orange County is auctioning coastal timeshare intervals on September 18

Posted on by Posted in OC Treasurer, Orange County, Santa Ana, Taxes 1 Comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. – More than 70 coastal timeshare intervals at resorts such as the Marriott Newport Coast Villas and the Four Seasons Pacifica are scheduled for an online auction held by the Orange County Treasurer-Tax Collector beginning at 9 a.m. September 18.

Interested parties can view all the timeshare intervals for auction on the website but must register for a user ID at octaxauction.mytaxsale.com in order to download the entire listing. A list of all properties can be viewed at ocgov.com/octaxauction by clicking on the link titled “OC Timeshare Auction #1395.” Each parcel has other property related information and the website for each resort.

The Treasurer-Tax Collector does not have any other information on the parcel including the specific week(s) it is available. The timeshare intervals all have at least one installment of property taxes unpaid over five years and will be withdrawn if property taxes are paid in full.

If you are interested in bidding on a parcel, you will need to register as a user at octaxauction.mytaxsale.com and submit a refundable deposit of $1,000. Once you have registered, log into the site and click on “My Payments” and select “Submit Deposit.” All deposits must be made by eCheck (bank account) through the website to our third-party vendor, Grant Street Group, and received no later than 5 p.m. PST on September 10. Registration will not be permitted by mail or in person and will not be permitted after this date.

If you are not a successful bidder on a parcel, your deposit will be automatically refunded to your bank account within 10 business days after the close of the auction. Grant Street Group will transfer the deposits of all successful bidders to the County of Orange for credit toward the purchase.

To familiarize yourself with the auction site prior to the auction, click on “Property Tax Auction Instructions” for frequently asked questions and detailed information on how to participate in the auction process. Bidders should read through the auction rules, use the recorded demonstrations to understand each aspect of participating in the auction, carefully review the Terms and Conditions and research all timeshares thoroughly before placing a bid.

Bidding on the timeshares will start at 9 a.m. PST with batches of properties scheduled to close through the stated close times posted online. This is a buyer beware sale and all sales are final.

If you have general questions regarding the tax auction, please e-mail us at ttcinfo@ttc.ocgov.com or call (714) 834-3411 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Please direct any questions regarding the website or the bidding process to the Auction Administrator or call their customer support at (877) 274-9320 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST. For questions regarding specific timeshares or resort information, please contact the resort directly using the Timeshare Contact Information provided at octaxauction.mytaxsale.com or ocgov.com/octaxauction.

Santa Ana tax preparer admits she stole $700K from client tax returns

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Federal Government, Fraud, IRS, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

Karla Montano, 31, the owner of Trebols Income Tax, a Santa Ana tax prep business, accused of falsely claiming and pocketing about $700,000 worth of returns, admitted to lying to her clients and defrauding the Internal Revenue Service, according to the O.C. Register.

Between 2014 and 2016, the IRS says, Montano would prepare two sets of returns for some of her customers. The copy given to her customers was legitimate, but on the return she filed with the IRS she would “fraudulently claim deductions (like unreimbursed employee business expenses and charitable contributions), credits (like education credits and child tax credits), and exemptions (like dependents), that Montano knew her taxpayer-clients never approved of or qualified for,” according to the IRS.

Montano was able to cash in on the fraudulent returns through the use of the payment management service Refund Advantage. “Specifically, Montano would direct the IRS to electronically deposit her taxpayer-clients’ inflated refunds into Refund Advantage bank accounts, and Montano would subsequently direct the transfer of payments from those accounts into her own personal bank accounts,” according to the O.C. Weekly.

Montano has agreed to enter the guilty plea during a court appearance scheduled for Monday, Aug. 19. She faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison followed by one year on supervised release, but federal officials will recommend a reduced sentence, according to the terms of her deal with prosecutors. She must also pay more than $430,000 in restitution and will be barred from performing tax-related services, according to the O.C. Register.

The City of Santa Ana has approved a $500 rebate on vehicle purchases and leases

Posted on by Posted in automobiles, Business, Civic Affairs, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

Santa Ana Vehicle Incentive Program (VIP): Residents and Businesses Receive $500 towards Vehicle Purchases and Leases

On March 19, 2019, the Santa Ana City Council approved the Vehicle Incentive Program (VIP) to incentivize Santa Ana residents and businesses to shop local. Effective April 1, 2019, Santa Ana residents and businesses may receive $500 towards the purchase or lease of a new or used vehicle from participating Santa Ana auto dealers.

“We want to encourage our residents to shop in Santa Ana,” said Mayor Miguel Pulido. “The Vehicle Incentive Program is a component of the Shop Local initiative, aimed at keeping sales tax dollars in Santa Ana for the benefit of our residents. This rebate will also offset one of the most expensive purchases made by our residents.”

To take advantage of this offer, residents and businesses may visit one of the participating auto dealers listed below. The $500 rebate will be applied directly to the final sales contract at the dealership. Participating auto dealers include:

  1. Audi South Coast – 1425 Auto Mall Drive, Santa Ana, CA
  2. Crevier BMW – 1500 Auto Mall Drive, Santa Ana, CA
  3. Crevier Mini – 1455 Auto Mall Drive, Santa Ana, CA
  4. Freeway Honda – 1505 Auto Mall Drive, Santa Ana, CA
  5. Guaranty Chevrolet – 711 17th Street, Santa Ana, CA
  6. Lincoln South Coast – 1405 Auto Mall Drive, Santa Ana, CA
  7. Subaru Orange Coast – 1350 Auto Mall Drive, Santa Ana, CA
  8. Tom’s Truck Center – 909 N Grand Avenue, Santa Ana, CA
  9. Volkswagen South Coast – 1450 Auto Mall Drive, Santa Ana, CA
  10. Volvo of Orange County – 1400 S Dan Gurney Drive, Santa Ana, CA

For additional information, including full program details, please visit www.santa-ana.org/VIP.

About City of Santa Ana

Santa Ana is downtown for the world-famous Orange County, California. As the County Seat, home to a vibrant evening scene and one of the most diverse communities in California, Santa Ana is gaining national attention for its efforts to innovate and address a changing County. Over 1,200 City employees work hard every day to deliver efficient public services in partnership with our community to ensure public safety, a prosperous economic environment, opportunities for our youth, and a high quality of life for residents. Learn more at http://www.santa-ana.org.

For media inquiries please contact Daisy Perez, Senior Management Assistant at dperez@santa-ana.org or 714-586-6321.

The County of Orange has launched an app that lists all taxes and fees we pay for on each property

Posted on by Posted in OC Treasurer, Orange County, Real Estate, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

SANTA ANA, Calif. – Chairwoman Lisa Bartlett, Treasurer Shari Freidenrich, and the Orange County Information Technology Application Development team have collaborated to create Mello, a responsive web based application designed to give Orange County homeowners easy access to their property tax information with full breakdowns of where those taxes and fees are going.

Mello utilizes property tax data directly from your secured property tax bill to display the base tax levies and also special assessments on properties, including Community Facilities Districts (CFD) that are commonly referred to as Mello Roos. The application allows for searches by address or by using an interactive map. Users who click on the property will see any applicable taxes or fees displayed, such as the 1 percent basic tax and other assessments.

“It has always been a priority of mine to find areas where we can make government more efficient and transparent,” said Chairwoman Bartlett. “Mello does just that by giving the taxpayers a breakdown of where every cent of their property taxes are going while also being innovative and efficient.”

Although the app was initially created to make Mello Roos assessments more visible, all taxpayers can benefit from using this app by easily seeing all taxes and fees being charged on their homes. The app also allows for greater transparency for Property Assessed Clean Energy programs, which are often promoted as loans, but are in fact special assessments.

“This app allows taxpayers to see where their tax dollars are going in a user-friendly format,” Treasurer Freidenrich said. “This continues our goal of 24/7 access to records, now with both an online option at ocgov.com/octaxbill and this newest app option. We encourage residents to visit the new site from any device using any web browser and view the taxes and fees on any parcel in the county.”

Mello was launched this week in partnership with real estate leaders from the Orange County Association of Realtors and can be accessed at mello.ocgov.com. It is available for all Orange County properties.

The SAUSD School Board is seeking applicants for the Measure I Bond Oversight Committee

Posted on by Posted in Santa Ana, SAUSD, Taxes Leave a comment

The SAUSD Board of Education seeks applications to fill 7 spots on the Bond Oversight Committee, which oversees the expenditure of Measure I funds and communicates its findings to the Board and the public. Deadline to apply is Feb. 19, 2019. Click here for more information.

ABOUT THE CITIZENS BOND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

State Law requires the appointment of a local Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee for Measure “I”. The purpose of the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee is to:

Actively review and report on the expenditure of voter-approved bonds
Receive and review copies of annual performance and financial audits
Present an annual written report to the Board of Trustees
Education Code Section 15278 requires that the Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee inform the public concerning the expenditure of revenues received from bond sales pursuant to Measure “I”. The Oversight Committee is comprised of individuals from local businesses, senior citizen organizations, organizations involved with schools, a bona fide tax payers’ organization, as well as involved parents of children residing in the Santa Ana School District.

APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP

Notice is hereby given that the Board of Education for the Santa Ana Unified School District seeks applications to fill a total of seven seats on the Bond Oversight Committee.

The purpose of the Bond Oversight Committee is to oversee the expenditure of Measure I funds and to communicate its findings to the Board and the public in order to promote the proper expenditure of school bond funds as voters intended and the efficient completion of projects.

One applicant will be chosen from each the following representative groups to serve a two-year term. Appointment to the Committee will require attendance at quarterly Committee meetings.

  • SAUSD parent
  • SAUSD parent: Active in PTA or in school site council
  • Active in a senior citizen organization
  • Active in the business community within the District
  • Active in a taxpayer’s organization
  • General member
  • General member

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, a resident of California, and reside within the district’s geographic boundaries. Applicants may not be an employee or official of the district, nor a vendor, contractor, or consultant of the District.

The Communications Office will be accepting the applications.

Applications may be accessed via this link or requested from the Communications office at (714)558-5555, or obtained at the Santa Ana School District office located at 1601 E Chestnut Avenue, Santa Ana, CA 92701.

Please submit your application no later than 4:30 p.m. on February 19, 2019

The SAUSD’s latest tax increase, Measure I, was shredded by two mailers this week

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Ballot Measures, Cecilia Iglesias, Education, John Palacio, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Taxes 1 Comment

Two campaign mailers arrived in Santa Ana mailboxes today – in a direct hit on the SAUSD’s Measure I – the district’s third property tax increase in 19 years.

One of the mailers addressed the unfairness of Measure I, which will have a huge negative impact on Santa Ana senior citizens and others on fixed incomes, such as the disabled and those who are combating serious illnesses. Continue reading→

Sal Tinajero’s entire team of City Council candidates is opposing his Measure X sales tax increase

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Ballot Measures, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Sandra Pena, Santa Ana, Taxes 2 Comments

Santa Ana City Councilman Sal Tinajero

I attended two Santa Ana City Council candidate forums recently and was astonished to hear every single candidate for the Santa Ana City Council come out publicly against Measure X. Sal Tinajero, who is termed out and is running for Mayor of Santa Ana, is the only candidate still publicly backing Measure X (although he doesn’t mention it on his campaign website).

It is generally a very bad idea for a political candidate to run on a platform based in raising our taxes. Perhaps this is why Tinajero’s City Council candidates – Roman Reyna in Ward 4; Sandra Pocha Pena Sarmiento in Ward 2; and Nelida Mendoza in Ward 6 have all publicly turned their backs on Tinajero’s Measure X.

Measure X, if it passes, will result in Santa Ana having the highest sales tax in Orange County. That will result in several awful consequences: Continue reading→

Low income seniors or disabled taxpayers can now postpone their O.C. property taxes

Posted on by Posted in Education, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Taxes Leave a comment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 27, 2018

Property Tax Postponement Program Accepting Applications on October 1, 2018!

Orange County Treasurer Shari Freidenrich announces that the California Property Tax Postponement Program (PTP) application period opens October 1, 2018. Information is available on the Office of the State Controller’s website, by calling 800-952-5661 or by emailing the state at postponement@sco.ca.gov. Funding under the program is limited and available to applicants on a first-come-first-serve basis.

The PTP, which has been reinstated after being suspended by the Governor in 2009, offers housing security for seniors and homeowners with disabilities. The program allows eligible homeowners who are blind, disabled or at least 62 years of age to defer Fiscal Year 2018-19 property taxes on their principal residence if they meet certain established criteria. Continue reading→

The new proposed SAUSD Bond Measure will cost taxpayers up to $1.2 B with interest

Posted on by Posted in Education, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Taxes 2 Comments

For Immediate Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: JULY 3, 2018

Statement on Proposed Santa Ana School Board Bond Measure

ORANGE COUNTY, CA – Hon. Fred Whitaker, Chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County, releases the following statement in response to the proposed $479 million bond for the Santa Ana Unified School District:

“Recently, the Santa Ana School Board has proposed putting a bond on the ballot in the November election. In order to do so, a resolution to place the bond on the ballot will go before the Santa Ana School Board this month. This proposed bond would be for a staggering $479 million and would require only a simple majority to pass. This unnecessary bond represents nothing more than a tax increase on the citizens of Santa Ana. In the meantime, the school board is spending thousands of dollars of taxpayer money to get this ballot measure passed. Continue reading→

The insane Santa Ana City Council wants to raise our sales taxes to pay for their mistakes

Posted on by Posted in 2018 elections, Civic Affairs, Politics, Santa Ana, Taxes 2 Comments

The Santa Ana City Council majority

The Santa Ana City Council, as you may know, has made so many mistakes over the years that the City of Santa Ana is now teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. The solution that is being proposed by our City Council majority is completely ridiculous – they want to raise our sales taxes to pay for their mistakes!

What the City Council majority (Jose Solorio, David Benavides, Sal Tinajero and Vince Sarmiento) is proposing is to put a measure on the ballot so the taxpayers can screw themselves in the upcoming November election. Continue reading→