ALBUQUERQUE
MANSION HAS
EVERY KIND OF
LUXURY YOU CAN
IMAGINE.
IT IS SOME
PLACE!!!
BUT THERE'S
ALSO SOMETHING
VERY WRONG
ABOUT THAT
PALATIAL ESTATE.
AND THE
PERO TAMBIéN HAY ALGO
INCORRECTO SOBRE ESTO
GOVERNMENT
INCOMPETENCE
THAT'S LETTING IT
GO ON IS EVEN
WORSE..
NEWS THIRTEEN
INVESTIGATIVE
Y LA INCOMPETENCIA DEL GOBIERNO
QUE LE DEJA CONTINUAR ES AúN
REPORTER LARRY
PEOR.
BARKER HAS
UNCOVERED THE
DISTURBING
SECRET OF A
MONUMENTAL
MANSION:
.Padilla: "Wow, that's
NEWS 13 LARRY BARKER DE
REPORTERO INVESTIGADOR HA
DESCUBIERTO EL SECRETO
INQUIETANTE DE UNA MANSIóN
what I would say, Its
amazing."
MONUMENTAL:
.Barker: "Just when
PADILLA: GUAU, ES LO QUE YO
DIRíA,
you think you've seen
SU ASOMBROSO.
it all, along comes
something so
incredible it just
knocks your socks
off."
LEJOS.
.Padilla: "Unbelievable.
Wow."
PADILLA: INCREíBLE.
GUAU.
WELCOME TO THE
MOST EXPENSIVE
RESIDENTIAL REAL
ESTATE IN
BERNALILLO
COUNTY. THIS 7
BIENVENIDOS A LA VERDADERA
SUCESIóN RESIDENCIAL MáS CARA
MILLION DOLLAR, 3
EN BERNALILLO COUNTY.
ACRE VILLA
NESTLED IN
ALBUQUERQUE'S
NORTH VALLEY
FEATURES A 12,000
SQUARE FOOT, SIX
BEDROOM, 7 BATH
TUSCAN MANSION,
ESTOS $7 MILLONES 3 CHALET DE
ACRE RECOSTADO EN NORTH VALLEY
EVOKING
DE ALBUQUERQUE PRESENTAN UN
12000 PIE CUADRADO,
ELEGANCE,
6 RECáMARA, 7 MANSIóN DE TUSCAN
LUXURY AND
DE BAñO,
GRANDEUR. ON
THE GROUNDS
EVOCANDO ELEGANCIA, LUJO Y
THERE'S A DUCK
GRANDEZA.
POND, GUEST
HOUSE, ORCHARD,
VINYARD, CABANA
AND ENOUGH
GARAGE SPACE TO
ACCOMODATE A
FLEET OF ROLLS
ROYCES.
HOWEVER,
THERES
SOMETHING
WRONG WITH THIS
PICTURE.
.Barker: "It's a
SIN EMBARGO, HAY ALGO MAL CON
ESTO FOTOS.
monumental secret
that's been short
changing taxpayers to
the tune of tens of
thousands of dollars.
As blunders go, this
one is a whopper.
Consider the property
taxes. For real estate
BARKER : ES UN SECRETO
this valuable you
MONUMENTAL QUE HA SIDO
would think the
CONTRIBUYENTES DE CAMBIO
CORTOS A LA MELODíA DE DECENAS
owner pays a small
DE MILES DE DóLARES.
fortune...about $80,000
LA VERDADERA SUCESIóN ESTE
OBJETO DE VALOR UD. PENSARíA
AL DUEñO PAGA UNA PEQUEñA
FORTUNA.
a year. Well, think
again."
KAREN MONTOYA
IS BERNALILLO
COUNTY
ASSESSOR.
MONTOYA DE KAREN ES EL ASESOR
DE BERNALILLO COUNTY .
.Montoya: "Q. This
property is listed by
the owner for 7 million
dollars. What's the
ESTA PROPIEDAD ES PUESTA EN UNA
current tax bill on this
LISTA POR EL DUEñO PARA $7
MILLONES
property? A. $24."
3EN QUé ES LA CORRIENTE EL
IMPUESTO BILL CUENTA EN ESTA
$24.88 TO BE
PROPIEDAD?
EXACT. LAST
YEAR'S TAX BILL:
$24.84. 2010? 24.76.
2009? 24.68. YOU
EL IMPUESTO DEL AñO PASADO BILL
CUENTA $24,84.2010:
GET THE IDEA.
$324,84.2010?
SECRETARY
DEMESIA PADILLA
HEADS UP NEW
MEXICO'S
DEMESIA PADILLA DE SECRETARIO
SE DIRIGE NUEVO MéXICO
GET THE IDEA.
SECRETARY
CONSIGA LA IDEA.
DEMESIA PADILLA
HEADS UP NEW
MEXICO'S
TAXATION AND
REVENUE
DEPARTMENT.
.Padilla: "This is
incredible. How
DEMESIA PADILLA DE SECRETARIO
somebody is only
SE DIRIGE IMPUESTOS DE NUEVO
MéXICO Y DEPARTAMENTO DE
MEXICO'S
INGRESOS .
TAXATION AND
REVENUE
DEPARTMENT.
.Padilla: "This is
incredible. How
COMO ALGUIEN ES IMPUESTOS DE
somebody is only
SóLO MéXICO Y DEPARTAMENTO DE
INGRESOS .
PADILLA: ESTO ES INCREíBLE.
paying twenty four
bucks is unbelievable.
... I'd say, that's
impossible."
COMO ALGUIEN SóLO PAGA 24
IMPOSSIBLE? HOW
DóLARES ES INCREíBLE.
DO YOU PAY
VIRTUALLY NO
PROPERTY TAXES
ON A 7 MILLION
DOLLAR TUSCAN
ESTATE? LETS GO
BACK. FOURTEEN
3CóMO NO PAGA UD. PRáCTICAMENTE
NINGUNOS IMPUESTOS SOBRE LA
PROPIEDAD EN UNA SUCESIóN DE
TUSCAN DE $7 MILLONES
YEARS AGO THIS
DEJA VUELVEN.
REAL ESTATE WAS
A AN ARABIAN
HORSE FARM WITH
PASTURE AND A
BARN. BECAUSE
THE LAND USE
WAS
AGRICULTURAL,
THE OWNER AT
THE TIME PAID
PORQUE EL USO DE TIERRA ERA
MINIMAL
AGRíCOLA,
PROPERTY TAXES.
HOWEVER, IN 2004
THE PROPERTY
EL DUEñO ENTONCES PAGó
IMPUESTOS SOBRE LA PROPIEDAD.
MíNIMOS.
WAS SOLD TO AN
ALBUQUERQUE
CONTRACTOR. HE
BULLDOZED THE
FIELD, REMOVED
THE BARN AND
BEGAN
CONSTRUCTION
ON HIS DREAM
HOUSE. BUT BY
2009, THE
CONTRACTOR RAN
INTO FINANCIAL
DIFFICULTIES AND
THE PARTIALLY
COMPLETED
ESTATE WAS SOLD
TO TEXAS TYCOON
MICHAEL
BUDAGHER FOR
1.7 MILLION
DOLLARS. IT TOOK
BUDAGHER YEARS
TO COMPLETE THE
EYE-CATCHING
PROJECT.
SE NECESITARON AñOS DE TEJóN
PARA COMPLETAR EL PROYECTO DE
OFFICIALLY THE
COGEDURA DE OJO
CONSTRUCTION
WASN'T FINISHED
UNTIL JUST 10
MONTHS AGO.
EVEN THOUGH THE
OFICIALMENTE LA CONSTRUCCIóN NO
ASSESSOR'S
FUE TERMINADA HASTA SóLO HACE
10 MESES.
OFFICE WAS WELL
AWARE THAT
SOMEBODY WAS
BUILDING A 3 ACRE
VILLA HERE NO
ONE SEEMED TO
NOTICE THE
HORSE FARM WAS
MISSING. IN FACT,
THIS AERIAL
PHOTO DATED
THREE YEARS AGO
AUNQUE LA OFICINA DEL ASESOR
ESTUVIERA BIEN CONSCIENTE QUE
WAS FOUND IN THE
ALGUIEN CONSTRUíA UN CHALET DE
3 ACRES AQUí PARECIó QUE NADIE
ASSESSOR'S FILE.
NOTó EL RANCHO DE CABALLO
EVEN TODAY, THIS
REAL ESTATE IS
STILL
CONSIDERED
AGRICULTURAL
WITH A TAXABLE
VALUE OF $603.
.Montoya: "Q. Theres
HASTA HOY, ESTA VERDADERA
clearly a huge mansion
SUCESIóN TODAVíA SE CONSIDERA
AGRíCOLA CON UN VALOR FISCAL
DE $603
on the property and
MONTOYA: Q.
somebody even put a
note on there and says
remove ag for 2011.
Did that happen? A. It
did not. Q. Thats a
mistake? A. Thats
correct."
.Padilla: "Q. When the
HAY UNA MANSIóN ENORME EN LA
PROPIEDAD Y ALGUIEN HASTA PUSO
UNA NOTA ALLí Y DICE QUITAN AG
PARA 2011
assessor has a
UN ESTO NO HIZO.
3Q THAT; ? ? S UN ERROR?
UN ? THAT; ? S CORRECTO.
photograph of this
PADILLA: Q.
mansion from 2009,
how could the
photograph of this
mansion from 2009,
how could the
assessor tax this
property as a horse
farm? A. They're being
incompetent. They're
UN ELLOS SON INCOMPETENTES.
not doing their job."
EVEN THOUGH THE
ELLOS NO HACEN SU TRABAJO.
ASSESSOR MADE
MISTAKES,
EL ASESOR DESTINó ERRORES,
LEGALLY SHE MAY
BE OFF THE HOOK.
.Padilla: "It is the
property owner's
responsibility to let the
assessor know that
they are no longer
using it for agricultural
purposes."
.Montoya: "Q. Did Mr.
PADILLA: ES LA RESPONSABILIDAD
DE DUEñO DE PROPIEDAD DE DEJAR
AL ASESOR SABER QUE ELLOS YA
NO LO USAN CON OBJETIVOS
Lovato, the previous
AGRíCOLAS.
MONTOYA: Q.
owner did he inform
this office that it was
no longer a horse
farm? A. He did not. Q.
Did the construction
company inform this
3 LOVATO, DE SR., EL DUEñO
office that they were
ANTERIOR INFORMó éL ESTA
building a 12,000
OFICINA QUE YA NO ERA UN
RANCHO DE CABALLO?
UN éL NO HIZO.
square foot home on
the property? A. No
they did not. Q. And
Mr. Budagher, who has
NO ELLOS NO HICIERON.
owned it since '09,
when did he tell you
LOS Q Y SR. PROVOCAN QUIéN LO
HA POSEíDO DESDE 09
that this was not a
horse farm? A. He did
3CUáNDO LE DIJO éL QUE ESTO NO
ERA UN RANCHO DE CABALLO?
not. Q. Who's job is it
UN éL NO HIZO.
to tell you its not a
horse farm? A. The
owner. Q. Mr.
3Q QUIéN ES EL TRABAJO DEBE
DECIRLE SU NO UN RANCHO DE
CABALLO?
Budagher? A. Mr.
Budagher."
WHO IS THIS GUY?
FIFTY FOUR YEAR
OLD MICHAEL
BUDAGHER IS A
SUCESSFUL
BUSINESSMAN
WHO GREW UP IN
ALBUQUERQUE
AND MAKES HIS
HOME IN DALLAS.
HE IS ALSO A
SOPHISTICATED
REAL ESTATE
INVESTOR.
DE 54 AñOS EL TEJóN DE MICHAEL
ES UN HOMBRE DE NEGOCIOS
BESIDES THE
AFORTUNADO QUE CRECIó EN
TUSCAN ESTATE,
ALBUQUERQUE Y HACE SU CASA EN
DALLAS.
éL TAMBIéN ES UN VERDADERO
BUDAGHER OWNS
INVERSIONISTA DE SUCESIóN
THIS 8000 SQUARE
SOFISTICADO.
FOOT, 3.5 MILLION
DOLLAR FRENCH
RENNASANCE
ADEMáS DE TUSCAN EL TEJóN DE
CHATEAU IN
SUCESIóN POSEE ESTE 8000 PIE
TANOAN AND THIS
CUADRADO
MILLION DOLLAR
MANSION IN
DALLAS.
BUDAGHER TOLD
US ON THE PHONE
HE PLAYS BY THE
35 MILLONES DE CASTILLOS DE
RENACIMIENTO FRANCESES EN
TAINAN Y ESTA 1 MILLON DE
RULES AND HAS
MANSIóN EN DALLAS.
DONE NOTHING
WRONG. AND HE
SAYS, THIS YEAR'S
$25 PROPERTY TAX
BILL IS CORRECT.
EL TEJóN NOS DIJO EN EL
TELéFONO QUE éL JUEGA SEGúN
LAS REGLAS Y NO HA HECHO NADA
IS IT? FOR YEARS
INCORRECTO
THE NOTICE OF
VALUE HAS
SHOWN ZERO
IMPROVMENTS.
.Montoya: "Q. Your
DURANTE AñOS EL AVISO DE VALOR
HA MOSTRADO 0 MEJORAS
office did know and
has known for some
years that there was a
very valuable estate on
this property? A. Thats
correct. ... Q. But it
didn't go on the tax
3SU OFICINA REALMENTE SABíA Y
rolls? A. Thats right.
TIENE CELEBRE ANTES DE ALGUNOS
AñOS QUE HABíA UNA SUCESIóN
Q. And its not on the
VALIOSA EN ESTA PROPIEDAD?
tax rolls today? A.
Thats correct."
MS. MONTOYA
3Q Y SU NO EN LOS REGISTROS
TRIBUTARIOS HOY?
SAYS, HER OFFICE
DOES NOT PUT
IMPROVEMENTS
UNDER
CONSTRUCTION
NO PONE MEJORAS
ON THE TAX
ROLLS UNTIL
BUILDING
INSPECTORS MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS
UNDER
EN LOS REGISTROS TRIBUTARIOS
HASTA QUE LOS INSPECTORES DE
CONSTRUCTION
CONSTRUCCIóN HAGAN
ON THE TAX
ROLLS UNTIL
BUILDING
INSPECTORS MAKE
THEIR FINAL
INSPECTION.
BECAUSE THE
ESTATE TOOK 6
YEARS TO FINISH,
MS. MONTOYA
SAYS IT WON'T BE
ASSESSED AT
FULL VALUE UNTIL
NEXT YEAR. IN
2010, ASSESSOR
RECORDS SHOW
THE ESTATE WAS
70 PER CENT
COMPLETE.
.Montoya: "Once the
home received a
EN 2010 EL ASESOR REGISTRA EL
ESPECTáCULO LA SUCESIóN ERA EL
70 POR CIENTO COMPLETA.
certificate of
occupancy the
following year its
placed on the tax rolls.
We don't put partial
completions of
properties on the tax
rolls."
.Padilla: "Q. What is
NO PONEMOS FINALIZACIONES
PARCIALES DE PROPIEDADES EN
LOS REGISTROS TRIBUTARIOS.
PADILLA: Q.
CUAL ES
the obligation of the
assessor as it relates
to construction? A.
They're supposed to
include the
3LA OBLIGACIóN DEL ASESOR EN
CUANTO A CONSTRUCCIóN?
improvements if they
are over $10,000. ... I
think she needs to go
UN SE SUPONE QUE ELLOS INCLUYEN
LAS MEJORAS SI ELLOS SON EL
back and read the
FIN $10000,
statutes."
BY FAILING TO PUT
CONSTRUCTION
ON THE TAX
ROLLS, THE
ASSESSOR COST
DEJANDO DE PONER CONSTRUCCIóN
SOBRE LOS REGISTROS
TAXPAYERS, AND
TRIBUTARIOS,
SAVED MICHAEL
BUDAGHER, TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF
DOLLARS A YEAR.
EL ASESOR COSTó A
HOWEVER, MR.
CONTRIBUYENTES Y TEJóN DE
MICHAEL SALVADO
BUDAGHER MAY
DECENAS DE MILES DE DóLARES AñO.
NOT NEED TO
WORRY ABOUT
PAYING ALL THAT
MONEY NEXT
YEAR. THIS
SUMMER HE PUT
HIS NORTH VALLEY
ESTATE UP FOR
SIN EMBARGO EL TEJóN DE SR.
SALE. REAL
PUEDE NO TENER QUE PREOCUPARSE
DEL PAGO DE TODO AQUEL DINERO
EL PRóXIMO AñO
ESTATE BROKER
ESTE VERANO éL PRESENTó SU
SUCESIóN DE NORTH VALLEY PARA
MISSY ASHCRAFT
LA VENTA.
LISTS IT AT A
COOL 7 MILLION.
AND EVEN
THOUGH STATE
LAW REQUIRES
BROKERS TO
DISCLOSE
ESTIMATED
PROPERTY TAXES,
MISSY LED
PROSPECTIVE
Y AUNQUE LA LEY DEL ESTADO
BUYERS TO
REQUIERA QUE AGENTES DE BOLSA
REVELEN IMPUESTOS SOBRE LA
PROPIEDAD, ESTIMADOS,
BELIEVE, TAXES
ON THIS ESTATE
MISSY LLEVó A COMPRADORES DE
ARE VIRTUALLY
PROSPECTIVE BELIEVE,
NOTHING.
.Ciddio: "If we were to
LOS IMPUESTOS SOBRE ESTA
get a complaint on this
SUCESIóN NO SON PRáCTICAMENTE
NADA.
we would definitely
investigate it."
WAYNE CIDDIO IS
THE REAL ESTATE
COMMISSION'S
EXECUTIVE
SECRETARY.
.Ciddio: "Probably the
most basic broker duty
is honesty and
reasonable care and I
would think that
applies to all aspects
of the transaction, to
verify the information
that they are giving a
prospective customer
CID PROBABLEMENTE EL DEBER DE
AGENTE DE BOLSA MáS BáSICO ES
and client."
LA HONESTIDAD Y EL CUIDADO
RAZONABLE Y YO PENSARíA QUE
IN JANUARY,
ESTO SE APLICA A TODOS LOS
ASPECTOS DE LA TRANSACCIóN
APPRAISERS WILL
VERIFICAR LA INFORMACIóN QUE
ELLOS DAN A UN CLIENTE DE
HEAD OUT TO THE
PROSPECTIVE
NORTH VALLEY TO
CALCULATE
MICHAEL
BUDAGHER'S 2013
PROPERTY TAX
BILL.
.Padilla: "Q. As it
relates to this
property, was the
assessor doing her
EN ENERO, LOS TASADORES SE
job? A. No."
DIRIGIRáN NORTH VALLEY PARA
.Montoya: "This was
CALCULAR EL IMPUESTO SOBRE LA
an oversight
PROPIEDAD DE 2013 DEL
absolutely. Q. Who
BUDAGHER'S DE MICHAEL BILL
CUENTA .
PADILLA: Q.
EN CUANTO A ESTA PROPIEDAD,
3HACíA EL ASESOR SU TRABAJO?
NO.
accepts the blame for
MONTOYA: ESTO ERA UN DESCUIDO
what's happened here?
A. Well I will accept
the blame. I'm the
county assessor and I
will do what I can to
rectify the situation."
THE ASSESSOR
SAYS SHE PLANS
SOY EL ASESOR DE CONDADO Y HARé
LO QUE PUEDO PARA RECTIFICAR
TO SEND MICHAEL
LA SITUACIóN.
BUDAGHER A NEW
BILL FOR BACK
PROPERTY TAXES.
.Montoya: "Well I
guess we are just
going to have to sit
down and talk Mr.
Budagher."
LARRY BARKER
MONTOYA WELL ADIVINO QUE VAMOS
SóLO A TENER QUE SENTARNOS Y
KRQE NEWS 13.
CONVERSACIóN TEJóN DE SR.
ASSESSOR KAREN
NEWS 13 DE KRQE DE LARRY
BARKER
MONTOYA LIKELY
WON'T BE THE ONE
CLEANING UP THE
MESS.
SHE WAS JUST
ELECTED TO THE
PUBLIC
REGULATION
COMMISSION.
ELLA FUE ELEGIDA SóLO A LA
COMISIóN DE REGULACIóN PúBLICA.
ADLIB TOSS TO