Story Created:
Oct 19, 2010 at 12:35 PM EDT
Story Updated:
Oct 20, 2010 at 10:49 AM EDT
UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - Utica Mayor David Roefaro says the Hotel Utica has an October 26 deadline to pay the back taxes they owe the city, or else the city will foreclose on the property.
According to the city comptroller, Hotel Utica owes $410,788 in back taxes to both the city and Utica City School District. The hotel also owes the city and school district $140,979 in current taxes.
Oneida County's Finance Commissioner Anthony Carvelli says the hotel owes the county $48,967.
The City of Utica is in the second position on the Hotel Utica's mortgage, meaning that if they don't pay their taxes, the bank has two choices - the bank can pay the taxes for them, or the bank can allow the hotel to go through the foreclosure process and the city would take over the hotel, said Angelo Roefaro City of Utica Spokesman.
Mayor David Roefaro says hotel management has promised they will pay by next Tuesday's deadline.
If the city forecloses on the Hotel Utica, the process could take up to a few months, Roefaro said.
"There is a process," said Roefaro. "It doesn't make a difference who you are, whether you're a business (or) an individual. If you don't pay your taxes, there's a process - and that process is foreclosure."
Roefaro says the Hotel has not done anything wrong. He says they, like every other homeowner, have a grace period to pay their taxes. Roefaro did admit the hotel has continually had a problem paying their taxes.
