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Update: Witness says Oster agreed to reduce tax bill

1:32 PM Wed, Jan 30, 2008 |
Brandie Jefferson    Email

Former Lincoln Town Administrator Jonathan F. Oster agreed to shave $7,000 off a delinquent tax bill for an alleged business partner, according to testimony by the town's former assistant solicitor

During questioning by Assistant Attorney General William Ferland, William Dickie testified about an appeal that the wife of former Lincoln planning official Robert Picerno filed in 2001. She contested $22,000 in taxes that were assessed on the Picerno's house from 1998 to 2000, according to Dickie.

He explained the circumstances of the filing of the complaint and the town's response. Dickie said that Oster told him he had talked about the matter with Picerno and that the town could settle the $22,000 claim for $15,000.

Dickie also testified that Picerno never contested the tax bill with the assessor's office or the board of tax review. He also noted that if someone wished to appeal a tax bill, they had to pay it first. Picerno, Dickie said, had not paid taxes on the property since 1998.

Read about today's earlier testimony here
.

Dickie is expected to continue testimony after the lunch break.

-- with reports from Journal staff writer John Hill

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