I thought you were wrong about Don but you better check you have the right guy - if its real - wow. I would not support a tax cheat like that for any office even dog catcher.
--Bob

WOW! That is a very serious charge man, you better be sure its true!
--Carol J.

What can he possibly say about this? I don't know anyone who has been in so much trouble. You need to mention that his comments about wanting to serve on the finance committee in the state house is available at the Reporter-Herald web page. My husband and I couldn't stop laughing. This is absurd - how could anyone support a serial tax delinquent. No wonder he thinks it would be OK to carry an AK-47 in the super market since he wants to stop the IRS from forcing this dirt bag to pay his taxes. My son is in Iraq right now, if everyone was like this guy our government would fall from lack of support.

I pray to God the Reporter-Herald puts journalism first and stops protecting this dirt bag developer just because of their advertising dollars. My son is putting his life on the line in the belief that freedom of the press is still true in America.

I will say a special prayer that the editor of the Reporter-Herald looks long and hard in the mirror and decides that his integrity is still as a newspaper man and not a salesman. Shame on anyone who would help this dirt bag get into public office.
--Margie Miller

Anyone remember "I made my fortune after serving" quote by Marostica. It makes me ENRAGED that a rich guy doesn't pay his GD taxes!!!!!!! Go for it IRS- Stop the tax cheat in his dirty trax.....
--Will D.

U dont need to use the Lord's name in vain when talking about the serial tax delinquent.
Thank you ! Lovelandpolitics (whoever you are) I never saw nothin about that graffiti at LHS except here and now this outrage. God bless you for having the courage to report on the real "Don"
--Dotsero St. Family

OK now Wesley Snipes has something in common with Don Marostica - they don't report all their income and the IRS needs to nail them to the wall before they pay their income tax.
--Jana W.

You are wrong. Carol's family left her a big farm trust and Don got cought in her tax problems. Check with Don cause I think he will tell you this was his wife's mess.
--Don't say

A lot of people have had problems along the way to success. A tax lien, be it on Paccione or Marostica, is an action that is settled through working with the IRS. Clearly Marostica has done that, though not reported here, or there would be current liens. This is just more sleazy attacks from this website. To those of you who have never taken the risk required to create a sucessful business, you will never understand and you can sit there and be critics. Those of us who do take those risks to create jobs, and carry the American economy (small businesses create 90%+ of all new jobs in this country), we understand that sometimes you may stumble, sometimes you may fall, but you just keep getting up and try to make good things happen. It is well known that the vast majority of those who ever create substantial net worth in business have at least one bankruptcy along the way. If you think it is so easy in this overregulated (thanks to liberals and people like Liam Weston) environment to create a company that employs the people of a community, then shut up and get out there and give it a shot.
--BTB

The Politics of Personal Destruction are alive and well here. No one in business has ever made it without being hassled by the IRS Nazis at some point in their business life! Don...wear it like a badge of honor...you have survived and made it due to your "stick-to-it-attitude" and we support you. As a small business owner I have experienced the IRS tactics as many other have, and it is one of the most destructive agencies in our government. We should all remember the 80's and the congressional hearings on the militant IRS tactics, and know that we the people must continue to fight socialist liberals who think that their jobs are created by government. The creativity of Americans willing to try something...take risks...fight to survive against the buracracy, create the jobs that the above critics think they are entitled to through some miracle of their beloved government. You people should wake-up before claiming your perfection, and ask, What have I done in business?...How many jobs have I created in my life?...Have I ever gone through tough times and come out a better person for having done it? If you who run this website lead to the election of a left-wing, tree-hugging, Sierra Club, gun-grabbing,anti-business liberal like Jodi Radke, just remember as you get your layoff notice that you did it to yourself!
--Hugh D.

Accept the truth, but don't try to claim it is irrelevant and can't be discussed. If it's the GOP position that a bankruptcy makes you unfit to be elected then it's fair game for a GOP candidate to face the music. But, if a significant number of priminent GOP figures disagree with that they're welcome to demand that Marilyn Musgrave and her supporting 527s stop their bankruptcy witch-hunt against Angie Paccione.

BTB presnts the GOP mantra (admit nothing, deny everything and make counter-accusations against your opponents). Publishing the truth about Dom Marostica's less than perfect financial past is not "sleazy." Unless it makes BTB feel that way for being a DM supporter. The rest of us deserve to see the truth and add those facts to our ballot decision.

"It's Carol's problem." What a joke, if it was a legal "trust" there should have been no impact on Don's finances. That's why they're created in the first place. Unless they were unwise and disolved the trust absorbing everything into their personal property. Not a good track record for a "fiscal expert."

Even if there was an impact on their household finances a shrewd businessman should have known enough to file a separate, rather than joint, tax return. My wife's father, grandfather and great-grandfather had businesses in Loveland since the 1880s. There have never been tax liens or bankruptcy; even with the Great Depression!

Accountability and full disclosure are the road for the man wearing the "white hat" to follow. Not "...ignore that, only my marketing plan is worth paying attention to." Wake-up Loveland, it's almost past time to put aside Don's 1/3-$MILLION$ in slick ads and roadway litter. Consider his full record before voting.
--LTC T
<mailto:trenaryr3@earthlink.net>

FYI: I have started and successfully run a business. Yes, there is a lot of paperwork involved, but I have contacted my accountant and the IRS so many times about concerns and issues that I am on a first name basis with the IRS agents I communicate with. Furthermore, I have frequently overpaid taxes just to assure myself of no problems like Marostica down the road. And every single time I have the IRS paid it back to me.

Your excuses to defend Snipes, Paccione, and Marostica are without merit and due cause.
--Mark

This is troubling. Being skepical, I did my own quick search and verified not only the tax liens but also the civil court claims. Anyone who attempts to dismiss this as "politics of personal destruction", etc., but failed to complain about the attack on Paccione is proving that they put party above principle, and is therefore hypocritical. I mean, Paccione's problems pale in comparison.

The sheer number of court cases, along with the number of years for which Don failed to pay his taxes strongly suggests a pattern of cavalier disregard for both ethics and law.

This is simply indefensible…I don't care how many illegal aliens Don has given jobs to.

If we do care about the G.O.P., we simply can't allow any more crooks to represent us or we will continue to suffer the damages caused by people like Cunningham, Delay, Foley, etc.
--TruthMatters

We should care more about the integrity of our representatives than about less important stuff. I base my vote on the qualities of the candidates,regardless of party, and if we all did that, we'd probably have a lot less corruption in government. Thanks, lovelandpolitics.com for putting truth first. That's what I call real public service.
--Rodney H.

Marostica's people are saying that he is needed because Republicans might be able to take back the State House. Just like people who tried to bury Congressman Foley's bad acts to retain a Republican majority in Congress - it is wrong.
I am an American first and Republican SECOND. Don Marostica doesn't have my vote EVER!
--Dean (born in Loveland)

If I understand the above argument by Marostica - I got rich in the end so it now doesn't matter how? Isn't this the ends justifying the means falacy?

He sounds like 50 Cent (get rich or die trying).

I know lots of good citizens who are not rich, never been bankrupt and never try to hide income from the government. They are good people who shouldn't have to apologize for being "employees" as Mr. Marostica refers to them.
--Jim Andersen (not Anonymous)

Marostica's "white hat" seems a bit soiled. He is what I always knew he was, a liar. He will tell you what you want to hear, but his actions speak louder than his words.I can't stand that he is our Republican choice for this election. Too bad enough people didn't take the time to vote in the primary, they could have had a better , more honest candidate to elect this November.

--wish we could turn back time

Why is it Loveland only hears about this through some web blogger? If this is a matter of public record, freely available to enterprising investigators, don't we have a newspaper in town? Where is the Woodward or Bernstein of the Reporter Herald in all this? Are they not intellectually curious enough to inquire? Too lazy to care? Are they afraid of finding a horse's head in their bed? Or are the just in Marostica's bed?
--John Galt

You people are just a bunch of communists!! You know that Don grew up on a dairy farm & spent his career selflessly serving others. He's created jobs in this area, not just worked for others - like you gutless saps. If you want to know the truth about Don, you should ask him, not search public records that can be distorted over time.
--Joe T

EARTH TO JOE T -

1. A communist believes in an economic system where government controls the nation's labor & means of production, on the theory they will allocate jobs & resources more efficiently. No one's talking about economics, so maybe the term you're looking for is "crusader", "muck raker" or "do-gooder"?
2. No one disputes that Marostica was born & grew to adulthood.
3. If by "created jobs", you refer to bankruptcy attorneys, asset recovery specialists, or Tim Fritz - you'll get no argument here.
--Gutless Working Sap

I am tired of Marostica's limited vocab and calling any contrary evidence to his lies "sleazy attacks"

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, Sleazy means 1 a : lacking firmness of texture : FLIMSY b : carelessly made of inferior materials : SHODDY
2 a : marked by low character or quality

I think 2a defines Don Marostica exactly. The people who posted this stuff have courage I see so lacking in our local media.
--Jonie

Joe T.,
"There you go again..."

Can't come up with anything better than a petty blurt of name-calling (…make up counter-accusations). Sorry bubba, but I'm your worst nightmare...a life-long Democrat, 26-years of active military service in units that I CAN remember, there’s a case-load of guns and ammo in my den, I drive a 4x4 pickup, and I have enough integrity and Patriotism to say that Don Marostica's record should be out for everyone to see.

My family has been on these shores since 1750. I owe it to my ancestors and my kids to see that this mess doesn’t get swept under the carpet and saddle us all with a compromised State Representative. There is a choice and it looks like the big bank account can’t buy the election.

It's just petty conspiracy theory nonsense to accuse Larimer County of altering the records on Don's court papers ("distorted over time"). My grand-dad’s 1932 marriage license was in pristine condition when I claimed it in 1988.

But think about it everyone, if “Joe T.” is right then the whole cabal at Larimer County should be turned-out. Wait a second...except for Karen Wagner they're all Republicans! Maybe Joe's on to something! The County Republicans are all closet communists, planting false documents to destroy Don Marostica! Yep, and all of the members of the Fort Collins City Council are pod-people. :o)

Sorry Joe, maybe your library card, voter registration and driver's license are in that bad a shape, but the record on Don is clear. He’s not fit for the Legislature.

--LTC T
<mailto:trenaryr3@earthlink.net>

There are two kinds of people in the world - those that pull the wagon and the rest who ride in the back. Employees ride in the back waiting for people like Don Marostica to create the wealth that pays that loser's salary.

Don Marostica has given more to charity and paid more taxes than most people will in their lifetimes. He already pays too many taxes and was unfairly tageted by the IRS due to his wealth and influence in the community. You have no idea what it is like to be told you must pay taxes on all your income even if it came from your wife's family or was never reported to the IRS on a 1099. Most waiters, bar owners and lawn care companies don't pay income taxes on most of the money they make.

Don's businesses are not on a cash basis and must use banks to cash checks and pay vendors. The IRS overestimated his income because he took cash out to pay company expenses - this is not dishonest. Sometimes in our business you do pay people in cash or other expenses without receipts and that doesn't make it income.

The IRS wrongfully expected Don to pay taxes for all the cash advances he received even though they couldn't prove he spent it for personal things. When you are in our business your cars, meals out and cloths are part of that business expense. The IRS was wrong not Don!!
--Wealth Creator not waster

I knew it! The IRS was lurking in the background all the time (probably at Widow McCoy's), just waiting for someone in Loveland, Colorado to make some money, so they could unfairly target him with taxes!

But seriously, what self-absorbed numbskull (Tim) would believe, let alone say, "You have no idea what it is like to be told you must pay taxes on all your income"?

Apparently, there are two sets of IRS tax codes, one for Don & his boy, Timmy. Another for "the rest who ride in the back"
--Bob

I am sorry but taking cash out your company account and not having receipts is INCOME. When it is used to pay illegal labor it is a great way to avoid paying social security, disability insurance, federal taxes and unemployment insurance. If all he was forced to do was pay personal income tax instead of going to jail for hiring illegal workers and not pay the required employer's taxes he got out lucky. Of course, nobody knows for sure why the IRS was chasing him because the sneeky coward hasn't explained this to anyone except to blame his wife. What a coward. Even the Enron Executives didn't pretend their clothes were a cost of doing business.

My son owns a bar and pays all his taxes as do the employees. I am tired of Marostica's people calling the whole world corrupt because the coward didn't have the courage to pay his taxes and obey the law like everyone else.
--Another angry working sap

I cannot communicate my shier disappointment that our local paper has failed us again in not fully researching the candidates they endorse. How can any serious person endorse this character? My older brother works for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). He tells me that a tax lien is not common and requires the approval of a Division Chief.

That means someone in the Denver office of the IRS had to file court papers (following an investigation into unpaid taxes) to force Don Marostica to pay. Contrary to the previous person’s assertion, taxes that are negotiated or disputed with the IRS are not put into a tax lien. The tax lien is the last resort (before jail) in forcing a deadbeat to pay his income taxes. Please go tell everyone you know about this website to avoid the embarrassment of having a tax delinquent represent our good town in the State House.

--Sebastion S.

So, Don "spent his career selflessly serving others", eh, Joe T? Funny, the lawsuits don't say that...they say he was trying to defraud others. And funny, when he was on City Council, he served only his own business interests. He even failed to abstain from voting on matters involving his property. Just as soon as he got as much as he thought he could get out of that "service", he resigned from Council.

The only kind of "service" Don knows is the kind of "servicing" a cow gets. In other words, we taxpayers, we "little people" get SCREWED! I'm so sick of the intellectual dishonesty of people like those few who leap to Marostica's defense.
--TruthMatters

So sad that our local newspaper(the Distorter-Error)won't print such an important piece of real news. I guess we don't want to have the voters too well infomred, now, do we? Instead, they print a puff piece about a bogus "task force" created to produce a report coincidentally timed to shore up support for a school tax.
--Truth Matters

Don's service on City Council was exemplary. He was a sensible voice for development and jobs, but left office after 18 months of his term because of a witch hunt by anti-growth types who want to bring down giants of the business community. If he walked away from a few debts or took liberties on his tax forms, so what? His contributions to the community far outweigh small infractions that everybody does anyway. You little people just don't understand how real leaders make things happen.
--Joe T

Don's service on City Council was exemplary. He was a sensible voice for development and jobs, but left office after 18 months of his term because of a witch hunt by anti-growth types who want to bring down giants of the business community. If he walked away from a few debts or took liberties on his tax forms, so what? His contributions to the community far outweigh small infractions that everybody does anyway. You little people just don't understand how real leaders make things happen.
--Joe T

To the Honest, Law-Abiding Citizens of Loveland,

There are several vitally important points to recognize before casting your ballots for House District 51 in 2006:

1 – That Don Marostica "Cut and Run" from the City Council either because he was the target of an anti-growth "witch-hunt," or the heat was too high after being exposed for padding his bottom line at taxpayer expense.

2 - At the urging of his big fan, Joe T., we should forgive Don Marostica and forget about his taking "liberties" with the laws of the United States of America. After all, Joe T. has seen all and knows that we all “do it.”

3 - All of us "little people" are admonished by Joe T. (sorry, Joe 4-syllables...) for not bowing as he does to that great leader, Don Marostica.

Get a grip. The minions of Don Marostica sing a common tune: ignore the facts, Don’s record doesn’t really mean anything, only pay attention to the campaign marketing plan, and give him a chance to steer State tax dollars to his personal interests the same as he did while on the city council.

This is one of those cases where you can recognize the bad apple very clearly against the field of other candidates. From top to bottom, in all parties, there are a great number of true patriots vying for the honor of representing their fellow citizens in elected office. In rare cases (too many this year) there are a few who are caught on the campaign trail who don’t deserve to be in the race.

Don’t fall for Joe T’s gutter-trap arguments. Admittedly, some are able to cheat and distort their way to high places. Those who exemplify this kind of behavior cannot be elected to represent our community. Our children deserve role models who follow the rule of law. Not an "anything is OK" to build a fortune crowd.

I guess Joe T is lucky that this BLOG is essentially anonymous. His written testimony builds the kind of modus operandi that law enforcement follows to track down embezzlers and burglars. His praise of illegal acts cannot be tolerated and must not be twisted into justification for casting a vote for Don Marostica.

Loveland needs elected officials who are not in politics for a big pay-off. Don’s already wagered over a QUARTER MILLION DOLLARS. Shudder in fear over the kind of pay-off he is expecting for that marker!

Take a stand for honesty, integrity and true patriotic service. We must all go to the polls this year and stop the ugly politics being exercised by Don Marostica and his followers. When the Colorado House of Representatives opens in January 2007; leave Don Marostica at home. Based on the new evidence presented by Joe T., and "Wealth Creator not waster" there may be a Grand Jury requiring his attention by then.

--LTC T
<mailto:trenaryr3@earthlink.net>

has anyone else noticed that Tim Fritz has a phone growing out of his out-dated haircut head?

Wow. To "Joe T"...please name the "anti-growth types who want to bring down giants of the business community", and please describe how the alleged "witch hunt" took place. All that we know is that Don resigned to focus on his business, after getting turned down for a special subsidy for the Great West property development. Please back up your claim.
--TruthMatters

Why isn't the Radke campaign letting loose on this? Have not heard one thing from them. They really need to expose Marostica and let the people of Loveland know what kind of man he is. Jodi WILL NOT WIN this election unless she gets the word out. Marostica will buy this seat and then he will go on to buy another higher seat if we don't stop him now! Get with it Radke!!

According to today's front page article in the Reporter Herald, Marostica is taking his cues from Massachusetts??!!?? Advocating a gov't takeover of health care?!?!? "Our next governor has got to say, 'We've got to have a state health plan.'" This is a REPUBLICAN?!?!?!! (Or is he actually Hillary in drag?) In his interview, this candidate advocates, "making health insurance a legal requirement for its residents". This guy just crossed the line from stupid to just plain scary. Coercion is the calling card of tyranny.
--Thomas Paine

The next governor of the State of Colorado WILL be Bill Ritter, who supports Hillarycare. That is,unless you vote for Bob Beauprez.
--Matthew

Dear Matthew,

"There you go again..." Admit nothing, deny everything, and fabricate a counter-accusation against your opponent.

A key point to learn, and a discipline to practice, is to not post irrelevant rantings into the wrong BLOG. If you feel the need to fabricate a bogus complaint against Bill Ritter, put it on the "Old Fashioned Political Rally" BLOG.

This one is ably focused on the mounting evidence that Don Marostica is unfit for elected office. So, if you want to contend that it's OK to waste your vote on "No Way Bob" who now wants everyone to break Federal Laws as long as it gives him more mud (manure?) to throw, set your own path, but leave the rest of us out of it.

--LTC T
<mailto:trenaryr3@earthlink.net>

New idea - Turn up the heat on Don Marostica.

OK, it's pretty clear that the Reporter-Herald has no stomach to print any criticism of Don Marostica (I wonder if they've secretly invested in his next tax-payer floated scheme?). It's time to call for outside reinforcements.

Here's the plan; everyone who reads this BLOG and supports the contention that Don Marostica is unfit to be elected should contact Michael Huttner and/or Bobby Clark at “Progress Now.” They’ve done a decent job of sustaining Mark Holtzman’s “Both Ways Bob” campaign against “No-Way he should be governor” Bob Beauprez.

If enough of us plea for ProgressNowAction.com to relieve us from the complacency of the Reporter-Herald, what we are seeing (with gratitude to lovelandpolitics.com) will hit the Denver and possibly national media. Progress Now has more resources than the Larimer County Democratic Party or any other candidate.

Look them up at “ProgressNowAction.Org” – hit the “about” tab, and the use the “contact us” page to send emails and call. ((303)991-1900 | fax: (303)991-1902 | email to info@progressnowaction.org) We need to get their attention or Don’s money machine will fool enough people into voting him into the legislature.

--LTC T
<mailto:trenaryr3@earthlink.net>

ProgressNowAction.org is nothing but a scam front for the corrupt MoveOn.org, which is funded by the terrorist, George Soros, who funded the defense of the lawyer, now facing prison time for defending the terrorists who bombed the World Trade Center in 1993. No thank you, liar.
--John

The Coloradoan finally mentioned the tax liens in today's paper. You can read the whole article online at coloradoan.com.

So much for free speech. Especially when it comes to actual fact and truth.

You really should work for the Reporter Herald.
--SIlent Majority

Truth or Spin?

One of the key points to the Right of Free Speech is being able to print/publish facts without fear of reprisal. Some writers to this BLOG would have us forget that and bend to their will, prejudices and preferences to keep the FACTS of Don Marostica’s record a dark, deep, buried secret. It’s not part of Don’s campaign message, so they would have us little people believe that we don’t deserve to hear about it and make up out own minds.

When forced to face these facts DM’s supporters are too often turning to insults and name-calling; the mark of bullies and cronies protecting their selfish needs. This is not the kind of leadership our community, businesses and children deserve.

Don’s factual record of action and fiscal irresponsibility are the wrong example to place before our children and small businesses. Federal Tax Liens and bankrupt businesses are not the direction our community needs to follow.

It is tragic that we have to face this so close to Election Day. We must wonder why a majority of HD51 Republicans supported Don over Kevin McNaught (money?).

Good people let bad politicians get into office by not voting. Good people, with a positive vision for Loveland must turn away from Don Marostica and cast votes for Jodi Radke.

--LTC T
<mailto:trenaryr3@earthlink.net>

Look at the campaign web page for Radke and Marostica at the Reporter-Herald. All the headlines for Marostica's coverage are editorial comments while all the letters selected to be put there are postive. Jodi's page has either negative or generic headline coverage and some really bad letters attacking her selected to be on the electronic version.

The reporters are nice people struggling to work for a paper with little integrity. The Editor is a shameless partisan who cares only about the advertisers and drowns any stories that don't pump-up Marostica. We need free media in Loveland - the fifth column of a democracy is missing in our little town!
--Ruth J.