There has been chatter (since we broke the story) about the Past Due Tax bill that the News Sentinel will be receiving for it's failure to comply with the PILOT, Payment In Lieu Of Taxes sweet heart deal. The property is not in the name of E.W. Scripps and/or the News Sentinel, is what some in our community has discovered.
We knew that, but failed to fully explain what the past due bill is for. According to our sources the Past Due bill is for taxes due on the value of the News Sentinel's "ME". This would be for the multi million dollar German made printing press, sales tax on the ink etc. etc.
After all the German made press is worth more than the metal shed on the hill that surrounds the press.
Here is another interesting note. the Knox County Charter prohibits Knox County from doing business with any entity that owes Knox County money. So, the foreclosure/auction/deed notices will have to be published elsewhere. And since the News Sentinel's parent company E. W. Scripps also owns the Shopper News, Metro Pulse and nearly every other weekly publication. Those publications will be left without necessary ad revenue. One of our sources indicated that it has become increasingly difficult for the News Sentinel to make the case for being "the" publication of general circulation for the government public notices as the Sentinel has increased its daily rate to 75 cents per copy and $2.00 for the Sunday paper. With this economy that keeps our Senior Citizens and low to median income citizens from being properly informed of the government public notices.
We knew that, but failed to fully explain what the past due bill is for. According to our sources the Past Due bill is for taxes due on the value of the News Sentinel's "ME". This would be for the multi million dollar German made printing press, sales tax on the ink etc. etc.
After all the German made press is worth more than the metal shed on the hill that surrounds the press.
Here is another interesting note. the Knox County Charter prohibits Knox County from doing business with any entity that owes Knox County money. So, the foreclosure/auction/deed notices will have to be published elsewhere. And since the News Sentinel's parent company E. W. Scripps also owns the Shopper News, Metro Pulse and nearly every other weekly publication. Those publications will be left without necessary ad revenue. One of our sources indicated that it has become increasingly difficult for the News Sentinel to make the case for being "the" publication of general circulation for the government public notices as the Sentinel has increased its daily rate to 75 cents per copy and $2.00 for the Sunday paper. With this economy that keeps our Senior Citizens and low to median income citizens from being properly informed of the government public notices.
4 comments:
I am confused. Who made the sweetheart deal for Jack Mac and Bruce Hartmann?
Victor Ashe, Bill Haslam, Mike Ragsdale, or all of them?
Sometime in 2002 or so the daily paper stopped reporting and started being a PR firm for the local Mayors.
Was the Pilot contract a bribe?
Why hasn't the Sentinel paid their delinquent tax bill? They love to report delinquent taxes on the opponents of their political masters.
If this bothers you and you want to do something other than post a comment, you can call Scripps and ask them why they refuse to follow their own rules. The number is 1-888-397-4911. Toll free. You speak to the Scripps legal department.
It isn't a newspaper, it is a PR firm.
If you look up the deeds on kgis.org you will find one dated August 30 2002. That deed moved the property from KCDC to the city IDB. The signers of the deed were Bill Lyons, and attested by Alvin Nance. The deed states the property was for the Knoxville News Sentinel Company.
Was this when the KNS built their new building? I do not know who all signed the PILOT agreement, I do not have a copy of that.
The groundbreaking was in that time period. 2001 or 2002.
If I recall correctly, Bill Lyons was Chair of the board of KCDC. Interesting how he is one of the top dogs at the COK now. Isn't it?
Dr. Lyons was in charge of the Haslam campaign, was chair of KCDC when it did Market Square and has been involved in lots of campaigns.I don't thing it is surprising that he works with Haslam at the City.
I have a bias because he was my Political Science professor and advisor.Most of them up there were just shoveling liberal and socialist garbage down our throats.Lyons was right down the middle and respected all opinions whether conservative or liberal or democrat or republican.He helped a lot of us make it through.I am glad someone like him is there.You could do an awful lot worse for sure.
Thanks Brian.I love your conservative slant and keep up the good work on the News Sentinel.
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