In 1984 as city councilor, Jordan Levy was responsible for the infamous dual rate tax system that financially devastated residential tax payers. Although he publicly rails against it, he never mentions his role.
In 1992 and 1993, as mayor, Jordan Levy pushed through the two highest tax increases on businesses & residents in the last 54 years. Yet he never mentions that when bragging about his time in public office.
According to used car saleswoman Beth Proko of Worcester Citizens for Business (a group comprised of 81 of the 3,476 local businesses), alleges that 27 companies have avoided, flown, or died in Worcester in the 10 year period from 1999 to 2009 because of high tax rates on businesses. Of course she fails to mention the hundreds of new incorporations in the same period. So what did you expect from a used car salesperson? Honesty? Interestingly even the Worcester Chamber of Commerce contradicts her allegations.
Still those handful of Ma & Pa businesses whine about how Worcester's dual tax rate is inherently unfair and hinders economic development, although they've never presented one economic fact in support. The fact is, Worcester businesses pay less than 37% of all city tax revenues, and the 81 businesses that comprise Worcester Citizens for Business pay less than 0.00327% of all local taxes. The fact that residential taxpayers pay twice the taxes they do is irrelevant.
Here's an argument business people don't grasp or simply won't acknowledge. Businesses do not pay taxes, its the consumer, buyer, or end-user who does. Do you think the 3-Decker owner or commercial property doesn't factor real estate taxes into their rents? I wonder what commercial property owners Beth & Ed Proko would say if they were asked how they price their rental properties? Fact is taxes - federal, local etc., are simply a cost of doing business, just like payroll, rent, utilities etc. You the consumer pay the tax - its in the price. Any argument to the contrary is a Big Lie. And they even get to deduct their taxes too! Not to mention the numerous tax incentives for a business, something the homeowner would die for.
It's ironic that Jordan Levy has taken up their cause and appointed himself the spokesman for Worcester's business community. So what qualifies Jordan Levy as the unofficial spokesman for Worcester business? Well, as former CEO, President, etc., Jordan Levy led four corporations (Parker Intl., Wilna E. Corp., Parker Realty Corp., Parker Metal Corp.) into oblivion. Quite an achievement.
Losing four companies is by anyone’s definition a failure. Pretty big one in fact. But Jordan Levy never mentions that singular achievement in his self promotion. As is typical of local business-people they always blame others for their failures. Jordan Levy found his scapegoat overseas - blaming the Chinese. Keep in mind, as CEO he never went on record stating taxes as being a problem. So maybe Jordan Levy just didn’t have the stuff to be a CEO - no relevant experience, no qualifications, no education. Jordan Levy didn't work his way up any corporate ladder or build a company, he just bought the title.
Ironically Jordan Levy still calls himself president of a non-existent corporation. According to an Oct 16, 2011 political donation report from LtGov. Tim Murray’s campaign, Jordan Levy stated that his present job is president of Parker Intl., a company that was legally dissolved in September 2008.
As radio talk show host Jordan Levy always tries to impress listeners with his business achievements, boasting that he signed the company’s payroll checks. Managing a business is more than just signing payroll checks. Perhaps that's why it failed. As Parker Intl’s CEO, he sought federal assistance (corporate welfare) to keep the business afloat. It was denied - beyond help. Being no fool, as the writing on the wall became clearer, he sought a job at radio station WTAG. But not as CEO - rather as talk show host.
It's 2011 and again failure has reared its ugly head. As radio talk showhost at WTAG Jordan Levy's listeners have disappeared (maybe his geriatric listening audience is dying off or they've finally awaken to the fact that he's really a charlatan.), ratings have dropped, ad revenues dwindling, and employees have been laid off. So WTAG has resorted to luring listeners with the promise of cash prizes - effectively paying people to listen. Still Jordan Levy brags that his show is the most successful radio show in Central MA. The ratings prove otherwise.
So back to the subject at hand. How is it that the City Manager’s office tells us a completely different story about the state of the city – tax receipts are up, great bond rating, lured dozens of new businesses here (with fat TIFs), millions for infrastructure improvements, and $2 billion of public and private investments in the pipeline. That doesn’t sound like the catastrophe Jordan Levy, Beth Proko, Tony Economou, Joe Petty, and Joe O’Brien are claiming.
Who are we to believe? Jordan Levy & Co. or the City Manager? The City Manager, at least he uses facts.
So Worcester, whether you believe the pro-business candidates and the charlatans of business community, the fact is, they are all part of The Big Lie.
Your call Worcester. Vote November 8th.
