| FLDS anti-tax stance may be weakening Levies were paid on a Jeffs brother's home and land | |
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By Ben Winslow Deseret Morning News | |
HILDALE — Leaders of the Fundamentalist LDS Church have reportedly told their flock to not pay property taxes, in defiance of a court takeover of the polygamist group's United Effort Plan Trust, which controls homes, businesses and property in this border town. That may now be changing. Just days after being sent a letter demanding that he pay his property taxes or face the possibility of eviction nearly $14,000 was paid for Lyle Jeffs' house and the parcel of land it sits on. Jeffs is the younger brother of fugitive Fundamentalist LDS Church leader Warren Jeffs and presumably the acting bishop of the polygamist church. "Does this mean that there is a change in thinking and philosophy of the FLDS Church with regard to property taxes? I don't know," said Bruce Wisan, the court-appointed special fiduciary overseeing the UEP Trust. "I hope so." At a town meeting Wednesday night, more than 2 dozen former members of the FLDS Church gathered to hear Wisan update them on the status of property taxes, development and other problems related to the UEP Trust. "The people that really need to hear what I'm saying aren't here," he said. Only one person in attendance was known to be a member of the FLDS Church: Hildale Mayor David Zitting. "I'm going to let it stand the way it is," he told the Deseret Morning News after the meeting. "What was said was said. I'm not going to add anything to it." Wisan has attempted to reach out to FLDS faithful by speaking at the Hildale and Colorado City council meetings. He has even tried bulk mailing letters to everyone in the twin towns. Most of those letters, he noted, wound up on the floor of the post office unread. Fearful of losing their homes, some of the former FLDS members spoke up, asking how to pay their taxes and wondering if they were on the hook for others. One woman confronted Wisan and his attorneys about a recent land sale, asking if the money could be used to pay the property tax for everyone. "They've got money off the trust; why don't they pay the taxes with it?" asked Lenore Holm. Members of the advisory board appointed by the courts to oversee the UEP Trust said progress is being made. The board is meeting in southern Utah today and Wisan would not rule out more demand letters to residents. "What we're trying to do is preserve their homes and trying to keep them in their homes," said board member Margaret Cooke. "Eventually, people are either going to pay it or be — like any other American — be asked to leave. They should pay it if they value their homes." E-mail: bwinslow@desnews.com | |
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deseretnews.com Originally published Thursday, April 20, 2006 | |
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