State troopers were sent to Town Hall Wednesday morning after a handful of residents showed up to complain about being on a list of allegedly delinquent taxpayers distributed by officials Tuesday.
“I don’t blame them,” First Selectman George Temple said. “I’m angry myself.”
Officials wouldn’t say precisely how many residents came to town hall, but described it as a “handful” and “a few.”
Temple said an administrative assistant called police after the angry residents arrived in the building.
The residents had dispersed by about 11 a.m. but a state trooper remained stationed in the Tax Collector’s office.
“Together we’re going to work this out,” Temple said, referring to the town being owed about $10.2 million in back taxes due to what officials have characterized as incompetence and fraudulent practices by Karen Guillet, the former tax collector now facing felony charges for allegedly stealing town funds. Temple and the current Tax Collector, Cayenne Spremullo, held a press conference to discuss the issue Tuesday during which they distributed a 41-page list of over 2,000 seemingly delinquent property tax accounts.
If people who are on a list of potentially delinquent tax bills have actually paid those bills, Temple said: “We’re going to get those people off that list.”
He said the next step in the process is to have a meeting with the Board of Finance, town treasurer, finance director, tax collector, and town attorney.
“We’re going to have to figure out an approach that’s fair and equitable not only to the individual taxpayers, but the town,” Temple said.
