Orange County Tax Collector and local Democratic Party Chair Scott Randolph has apparently thrown struggling local black churches under the bus in his attempt to save his $150,000+ a year salary.
In a WFTV “9 Investigates” story, Randolph blames former beloved Tax Collector Earl K Wood, who seems to have acknowledged the economic times and struggles of minority churches and charities and did not enforce back taxes in recent years. Considering Randolph was only elected because Wood’s name was on the ballot, that’s some thank you.
Randolph even threatened to take church property for a few thousand dollars in back taxes. “They could lose their property,” Randolph said to WFTV. “That’s the worst-case scenario.”
According to the report, Mount Olive AME Church in Orlando is one church that is behind on taxes and currently owes nearly $6,000. “The county could take your property. What do you think about that?,” WFTV’s Vanessa Welch asked Mount Olive’s pastor, Mark Crutcher. “I say, ‘God forbid,'” Crutcher answered.
Randolph has long had a tumultuous relationship with the African-American community. Now he wants to use their churches and charities as a pawn in his chess game with Orange County Mayor Teresa Jacobs.
Jacobs could move to make the Tax Collector an appointed position, thus ending Randolph’s large salary.
See the whole report here.
[…] over the years is that he is not to be trusted and certainly not to be relied on. Just ask the folks in Eatonville, where he is still despised. Local Democrats in Orange County have witnessed his wrecking ball […]