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Community Cites Developer's Tax Issue

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By LAURA KINSLER | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 15, 2008

CORY LAKE ISLES - Developer Gene Thomason and his company, Cory Lakes Limited, owe Hillsborough County $300,000 in back taxes for 2005 and 2006 for two dozen undeveloped lots he owns in the New Tampa gated community.

In addition, he and his company, which received a no-bid contract for operations and maintenance of Cory Lake Isles, owe nearly $170,000 in 2007 property taxes. Those taxes would become delinquent April 1. Thomason chairs the neighborhood's community development district board, which awarded him the $1.4 million contract. He has been in a bitter dispute with several homeowners over access to Cory Lakes Limited's financial records.

Homeowner Adam Ringhof said he researched Thomason's tax records online out of curiosity and was shocked by the developer's outstanding tax bill. "Our CDD awarded a no-bid contract to Cory Lakes Limited when they owe hundreds of thousands of dollars in back taxes," Ringhof said.

When questioned about the delinquent taxes, Thomason gave a terse response: "I don't talk about my business." Then, he hung up.

"A lot of people don't pay their taxes simply because they don't have the money," said Dana Dove, a supervisor for Hillsborough County Tax Collector Doug Belden. "They're not doing anything illegal."

And the county doesn't go without because Belden's office sells tax certificates every May for unpaid property taxes. Investors typically buy the tax certificate because they can charge interest when the property owner comes forward to pay the taxes. After 22 months, the certificate holder can initiate foreclosure against the property owner.

Eventually, the properties could be sold at auction for the value of the outstanding taxes.

"Usually, the property owner comes in at the last minute and pays the taxes," Dove said. "I've seen them come in 30 minutes before the auction."

Cory Lakes Limited was able to hold onto two lots on Cory Lake Drive that were set to be auctioned in April 2007. Records show a title company paid three years' worth of back taxes on the two lots.

Thomason's failure to maintain his vacant lots has been a bone of contention for homeowners in the upscale community. Ringhof lives next door to one of the lots and said it is often overgrown. Records show it has become routine for Thomason and Cory Lakes Limited to not pay property taxes or pay them late. Some tax bills have been delinquent six of the past seven years.

"I don't know why they'd be letting these properties go delinquent for so long," Dove said. "He may just consider it a loan, because when he does come in and pay the taxes, the most he'll have to pay is 5 percent interest."

Cory Lake Isles homeowners have long questioned Thomason's business practices and last year sued the property owners association, which Thomason controls, to gain access to its financial records. Thomason wants to quash a subpoena that would allow the homeowners' lawyer to inspect Cory Lakes Limited's books for the past five years.

A hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23 in the case.

Reporter Laura Kinsler can be reached at (813) 865-4844 or lkinsler@tampatrib.com.

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