Dear Hilary---no problem with differing views--but your post says exactly
what I meant about getting help from the legislators with whom he has
worked !  CLOUT comes that way, I think, not in {Portland ,ME} from a bunch
of faceless Parkies who live all over the world....in other words in  THIS
particular situation I think the we on list do not have much weight as
advocates.  They will think, "SO WHAT?" and be irritated by getting a bunch
of calls/emails from us---that's my hunch. I think Ivan is mistaken in
spending energy trying to energize the list, and should use all his
strength to get help from the Representative/Senator who know him for his
advocacy for PD.   The "tyrants" are more likely to listen toi them--that's
just my belief.   Advocacy from the list can be very important in getting
funding, etc., as has been proven---but I think there are some cases where
it is not to best way to get results....IMHO.

Furthermore, a class action suit seems less probable in the light of Ivan's
most recent explanation that they are concerned about the insurance
money--that seems not to have much direct connection with his plea of
disability/ abatement eligibility , which COULD set a precedent.    Maybe
I'm still confused--another example of how hard it is to "advocate" without
first-hand knowledge, even after Ivan's  explanations.   Maybe there's
something we still haven't caught onto? Suggestions, anyone?

Hilary wrote:
>Camilla,
>For once, i must, most respectfully, beg to differ from you. I know i am very
>much  an emotive "fools rush in" kind of person, and not such a clear and
>logical thinker as yourself.  But i think  that in this case , something funny
>is going on = that the authorities are perhaps  concerned that Ivan's case may
>be the precursor of many others - maybe even a class action? In which case
>they could be adopting an attitude of "lets nip it in the bud" Hardly a
>professional way to behave, but who knows.
>And so it might not be a bad idea for these petty tyrants ( and i use that
>term in its approximate political sense of someone who has more power than he
>knows how to use) to know that  Ivan is not defenceless, that he has
>supporters who are not dependent for their livelihoods on the largesse of
>these  same people in power - remember this is a small town , where the main
>employers are also the city councillors.
>If at least somebody (or bodies) with a little legal background  could examine
>Ivan's paperwork - even if he is not licensed in the state of maine, at least
>we could find out if Ivan  has a claim.  It seems obvious enuff to me, but
>then i'm not a lawyer.  AS far as i understand the situation, they are
>claiming "property tax" and if ivan had that money, then he didnt have
>property !
>
>REspectfully yours
>
>hilary
>
>Camilla Flintermann wrote:
>>
>> Ivan-- this is totally incomprehensible "thinking" on the part of the
>> city--but I very much doubt that we can do anything to influence them---the
>> "legal" wheels are in motion,  and I suspect that out outrage is less than
>> effective. You must have a LOCAL advocate...preferably a lawyer who can
>> handle this for you.
>> I assume that you have given them copies of all the bills, showing where
>> the money went?  Are they saying the taxes should have been paid FIRST
>> before you spent the insurance funds on the new house?  That I could
>> understand, but  as you explained it, their thinking doesn't compute. By
>> "financially ineligible for assistance from the city", do you refer to the
>> tax abatement that you hoped to get?   I  must confess I'm confused, and
>> again  feel there is no way I can be of help here.
>>
>> You have several weeks to find help there. Perhaps your legislator's aide
>> can refer you to an attorney who will take your case ?  What about the
>> attorney (Harvey) who handled the payment?  I wish I could see any
>> intervention by us on the list that would be effective--but this is a
>> matter for legalities, not anger, no matter how  we feel about it.      .
>>
>> >Dear Nita, bob, Camilla, and LIST:
>> >
>> >Briefly ( I am too tired to type more):
>> >
>> >1)  After an arduous battle, 129,00 dollars was finally released by
>> >Acadia Insurance Co. to me,
>> > for damages from an August, 1996 fire that destroyed my home and
>> >posssessions,.  It was sent
>> >via attorney Chuck Harvey, in February, 1997.
>> >
>> >2) THe CIty of Portland's lawyers are claiming NOW  that this 1996
>> >fire-damage insurance
>> >payment makes me financially ineligible for assistance from the City now,
>> >in 1999!!  They claim
>> >that I had money from the settlement as late as recently, and throughout
>> >the  applicable period
>> >the Maine Human RIghts Commission is considering, which is October , 1997
>> >- May 1998, during
>> >which time I am claiming discrimination.
>> >
>> >
>> >3) Despite what the City's lawyers just claimed on Oct. 20th,
>> >ALL $129,000.00 was  used up by me by July, 1997. I kept it all in a
>> >separate
>> >checking account so I would not lose my Medicaid. Medicaid allows very
>> >limited
>> >cash assets.  I think it is $2,000 (two thousand dollars) or less.
>> >
>> >It was used the insurance money as follows:
>> >
>> >a) Eleven or twelve checks to pay contractor KenToner $112,000 to rebuild
>> >and re-fit my home. All payments were completed by late July or early
>> >August, 1997.
>> > b) LaPierre Furniturture and Appliances about $3500 during April, May
>> >and June 1997
>> >for fridge, dishwahser, washing macahine and kitchen
>> >range and oven; to buy some furniture, and kitchen items-like microwave
>> >oven,
>> >I ran out long before I could get clothes , like a winter coat, and so
>> >forth.
>> >c)It was also used to  pay rent for 7 months at Back
>> >Cove Estates, from Dec. 1996 - June 1997, (about $5000) while I waited
>> >for my burned
>> >home to be rebuilt from the foundation at $730/month, plus 2 months'
>> >security deposit.
>> >d) What was left went to long-distance calls and gasoline and various
>> >living
>> >expenses for the 11 months I was homeless(about $7,000)
>> >The city 's entire aragumeant is falsely based on my supposedly having
>> >plenty of
>> >money--in fact, I never replaced many, many things, still don't even have
>> >curtains,
>> >for example.
>> >
>> >My current bank balance is $147.00.
>> >Tonight the certified mail aautomatic foreclosure notice
>> >for back taxes and interest arrived. Dec 17 is the foreclosure
>> >date.  It is for ab out 1400 dollars.
>> >
>> >The Human Rights COmmission vote is on Dec. 13th.
>> >
>> >Ivan Suzman
>> >:-)
>>
>> Camilla Flintermann, CG for Peter 81/70/55
>> Oxford, Ohio
>> http://www.newcountry.nu/pd/members/camilla/one.htm
>> <[log in to unmask]>
>>
>>                         "Ask me about the CARE list for
>>                         Caregivers of Parkinsonians ! "


Love  to you from  Grandma / Nonnie     <[log in to unmask]>

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