On May 17th, the selectboard voted unanimously to deed the property of 22 year Grafton resident Robin Kantowski. While selectwoman Cindy was unsure, and selectman Lief did acknowledge that Robin didn’t have the money, the selectboard decided that because Robin had failed to reach out to them to come up with a payment plan, they were going to let the process take its course and seize her property.
That means taking her property, estimated to be valued at $81,500 on zillow.com, for unpaid taxes of $1,835.
Robin is a longtime widow. She hates to use that word. She still cries remembering how her husband died. “He was a good man,” she told me.
Since her husband’s death, Robin has been struggling financially, and has fallen behind on her taxes before. She is a proud woman who finds taking charity difficult sometimes. There was a period of time where she had to hitchhike to get groceries.
Robin paid $1,000 towards her taxes in April. She tells me she had every intention of continuing to pay. However, she says this seizure came largely as a surprise to her. Two certified letters warning her were never read by her. She doesn’t understand why Bonnie Haubrich, the tax collector, didn’t warn her in person when she paid the $1,000.
Robin recently read a letter signed from the selectboard that required she vacant her property on July 22nd. When she read that letter, she had ten days to move out. “I have animals,” she told me. How is she going to find a place for all of them in time? If she does not, the letter warns that she will be responsible for the financial cost of eviction and legal fees. She showed me her property, her own piece of paradise. Things that mean nothing to the selectboard but everything to her. Trees she spent years weaving. Rocks that she collected with her late husband. The place is filled with her memories. When she sits in her own flower garden, she can get away from the world be at peace.
One has to question how it can be right to take someone’s property for unpaid taxes if they are clearly struggling financially, and unable to pay. One has to wonder about taking away a woman’s home, wealth, stability, and memories, over less that $2,000 in taxes. The selectboard chose to waive the taxes in other cases in that same meeting.
Selectboard meeting, 5/17/22, at 1:15
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=gvdph8-9YFc
Robin is scheduled to meet with the selectboard to discuss purchasing back her property on the 19th. After starting a GiveSendGo campaign to raise the $2,000, donors quickly and generously raised the funds. One anonymous donor left this verse: Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s cause.” It is clear to people how devastating and unjust this is. We simply cannot let this happen.
https://www.givesendgo.com/Robinshome
The money is there, however, GiveSendGo is holding onto the money till the 20th, when it can be released and transferred to Robin.
After reaching out to the selectboard, they responded that they are not legally permitted to disclose the matter except to Robin and her representatives. They also appear to respond that others are not allowed to pay Robin’s debts for her. Robin says that they can, but that she wants to give them the money so she can hold her head up and not feel degraded by having someone else do this for her. Based on a phone call from selectwoman Cindy to Robin, Robin has explained to me that the actual cost of repurchasing her property is now $3,310.22.
We don’t want any chance of Robin losing her property. The best way to ensure that is for Robin to have the full amount in cash at the meeting on the 19th.
If anyone would like to show their support for Robin and donate, or to loan $2,000 to Robin for the meeting and be repaid by the GiveSendGo donations when they are released, please contact us. freegrafton.protonmail.com / 603-530-1961
Live free or die