LEWISVILLE — A Lewisville City Council member who failed to pay some business and personal property taxes won't be removed from office. A citizen investigated John Gorena after receiving a tip that he didn't pay taxes on his home-based computer business.
Gorena says he did nothing wrong. He claims he never realized he had to pay taxes on a computer and other equipment he has in his home.
Steve Southwell — who writes a blog on Lewisville called "Whos Playin?" — discovered that Gorena doesn't pay any taxes on equipment he uses at home for his computer business, JMG Enterprises. "This tax is levied on small businesses of any size. There's no exception. And we found Mr. Gorena's not paying it," Southwell said.
The Lewisville City Charter prohibits Council members from being past due on their taxes. Violations could result in removal from office.
But Gorena said he didn't know he owed what amounts to about $20 on his computer, desk and printer. "I did not intentionally try to not pay the county $20 a year," he said.
At the Council meeting, Gorena defended himself, saying he called the Denton County Appraisal District and offered to pay any taxes he owed immediately.
Lewisville City Attorney Ron Neiman told the Council that in two similar Texas cases, Council members removed from office were reinstated. Neiman told the council they could not remove Gorena.
"The fact is, I did not know that I had to pay taxes on my home computer and stuff," Gorena said.
Instead, Council members said they need to take a close look at the City Charter, which calls for something that can not legally be done.
Gorena says the investigation originated from his political opponents. "To me it's just gotcha, dirty politics. And I think it was all handled wrong from the beginning," he said.
Southwell disagrees. "The public needs to have trust in their elected officials," he said.
Gorena says he can't pay what he owes until he gets a bill from the appraisal district, something that could take six weeks.
His Council seat in safe as the attention turns from him to what some elected officials say is a flawed City Charter.
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
