El Paso County sheriff’s deputies have been ordered to stop raiding the cash registers of businesses that have unpaid Stormwater Enterprise fees.
“I have put a hold until further review,” Sheriff Terry Maketa said today in an email.
Sheriff’s deputies armed with a court order obtained by A-1 Collections Inc., a collections agency hired by the city of Colorado Springs, emptied out the cash registers of at least two Ace Loans pawn shops Friday, according to employees.
“It’s the stormwater troopers,” Assistant Manager Charley Bliss said Friday.
Ace Loans owes the city about $15,000 in unpaid fees from the now-defunct Stormwater Enterprise.
Click here to read more about what happened at Ace Loans on Friday.
In the email, Maketa said he is not a fan of so-called till taps in which deputies execute a court order to seize cash and coins from a business that owes a debt.
Maketa said he believes it’s an outdated practice.
“I did have my attorney review the court documents, and they were lawful orders of the courts, and I am bound by those orders under Colorado Law,” Maketa wrote.
“Having said that, the order doesn’t mention the exact date of service, so as of yesterday evening, I have put a hold until further review,” he wrote.
Maketa also said he spoke with Colorado Springs Mayor Steve Bach and a member of his staff, who “were not aware of this tactic being used by their contractor and they both expressed great concern,” Maketa wrote.
“Based on that information, I think the responsible thing to do is to offer an opportunity for our city to review this contract and determine if it is a practice they wish for their contractor to engage in. I personally do not believe it is, but I could be wrong,” he wrote.
Maketa was responding to an email from anti-tax activist Douglas Bruce and said he was “sure” that city officials would have many of the same questions that Bruce raised to Maketa in an email.
Granted it was probably in response to public outcry but he did the right thing nonetheless. He’s a good Sheriff for a number of reasons and we’re fortunate to have him here.
It is critically important to have elected officials monitor the pulse of the community and respond to the concerns of the people. He does so. Now if only the City Council and Mayor would follow his lead on this and other matters.
A-1 Collections Inc is represented by Randy Purvis. Our former council member at his best, going after the citizens to make the almighty dollar.
A-1 Collections of Colorado Springs also has a D- rating with the Southern Colorado BBB and more than few complaints on the web over their collection practices and fees.
Strange bedfellows indeed.
Hey, I am sick & tired of “special” companies, people etc., getting by with them NOT paying what they are required to pay. Most of the citizens PAID those storm water fees even thou they also felt it was a RIP OFF, we paid, SO MUST OTHERS. Taking it to court etc., just eats up more of our tax dollars, so the way it was done to a company that owes over $15000, GOOD, next time maybe they will see they also SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING THE FEE.
The “evil” Doug Bruce standing up for citizens again. I for one support most of theings Mr. Bruce has done for our City, County and State.
It is surprising what a little sunlight will do. No wonder those in government hate it.
I would like to know how A-1′s contract with the city reads and how they got their contract to begin with. Was it a competitive award? I tried to pay my $398 stormwater tax to the city clerk’s office and they wouldn’t take my money because “it had been turned over to collections”. I relayed a councilman had referred me to the city clerks office, to pay my bill, to which they responded Council doesn’t know what’s going on. This was before the council had voted on what to do about outstanding unpaid stormwater taxes. I had to pay A-1 $800 to get them to drop the lawsuit they had filed against me as an individual, not a lien on any property as the new reports is happening. A-1 appears to be making out big time and they can’t be touched and are not accountable.
What a joke. It surely sounds like the Sheriff doesn’t know what his employees are doing. Why not? He is their adminstrator. Also a sheriff that keeps his felonious employyes hired needs to be replaced with an administrator that can do the job correctly.
‘sonja42′
Another way of looking at it is that some folks have the balls to stand up for what’s right and just rather than follow blindly like sheep. Throughout history it as been those who stood up against wrongs that made our country better, not the sheep.just food for thought.
i agree frogz the sheriff was very right in stopping this outrage and we are lucky to have him do the right thing! i hope the city fixes their problem soon.
It’s not the Sheriff’s Office. It’s our gangland thugs that call themselves a city council that are strong-arming people after they admitted the “fee”, aka “tax” was wrong. This city “leadership” is void of anything that resembels leaders.
There should be no doubt in our self-serving city council why people hate them.
I made a mistake. I stated that A-1 Collections Inc is represented by Randy Purvis.
AAA Collections is represented by Randy Purvis.
Sorry.
The sheriff removing money from your cash register while wearing a gun is no different than a thief doing the same. There has to be a better solution for collecting this illegal tax than this criminal method.
The city must refund all monies obtained illegally. The US Supreme Court has already ruled that Stormwater “Fees” are really “Taxes.” All monies must be returned.
Oh c’mon Terry, stop being such a wet blanket, such a party pooper. Really. I mean, what’s a day in glorious El Paso County (“A World Class City”) without the darling public sector violating the public trust to no end, doing nothing or screwing up more ways than Heinz have tomato?
By the way Terry, how is deputy Rodney Fannin doing?
Thank you Sheriff Terry Maketa.
City may seek liens on 7,700 Stormwater properties
Comments 11
December 28, 2010 6:25 PM
Not every delinquent account went to collections.
The city forgave about $229,000 in past-due fees owed by El Paso County, the U.S. Postal Service and about 10,200 customers who owed less than $20.
Under its contract with the city, the collection agency receives 30 percent net of collections on regular accounts and half for accounts where legal action is taken.
So far, A-1 has pocketed about $97,000 for its work, Bridgers said.
And you wonder why A-1 is using this tactic?
I am so sick of law enforcement as well as city/county officials in this area catering to the public who get upset over hearing half of a story. I really don’t understand how the Sheriff can order his deputies to disobey a court order from a judge. I also don’t understand how our horrible mayor can order an evaluation of the multi-jurisdictional VNI unit for enforcing liquor laws because our uninformed citizens feel that what they do is unfair….laws are written for a reason and enforced for a reason, regardless of how upset people get. If you don’t like it talk to your senator about getting the laws recinded.
Storm-water troopers halted. Good. Can’t imagine it is right for deputies to barge into a lawful business, or anywhere no crime is being committed, and grab the money. This is America and citizens have rights and protections against a police state, or so I thought.
If A-1 collections is paying the Sheriffs Office a “Servers fee” on the these businesses to collect these xourt ordered judgements, the sheriff is required to fulfill their duty to A-1 in their collections. If A-1 is not compensating the sheriff for these services…the sheriffs office has no business involving themselves in CIVIL matters. Was money exchanged between A-1 and tge Sheriff, or not????
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