The Original American Chopper Fan Forum, and the new, and Original Orange County Choppers on CMT Fan Forum

That is a very "PC" thank you note from Newburgh. I wonder if it's how they really feel about him.
I thought there were a lot of angry locals as a resulting from the OCC HQ foreclosure and unpaid taxes to Orange County.

Quote from an article a couple of years ago............ http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110318/BIZ/103180372

"TOWN OF NEWBURGH — The owner of Orange County Choppers is planning to build what appears to be a new headquarters next to the company's current headquarters, which is in foreclosure. And to members of a local economic development agency being asked to provide tax breaks for the project, the proposal doesn't pass the smell test.
Washingtonville planner Robert Daly presented the project to the Orange County Industrial Development Agency at its Wednesday meeting on behalf of a company called G&M Orange LLC. The owner of G&M Orange is Paul Teutul Sr., owner of Orange County Choppers.
The project calls for a three-story, 25,000-square-foot building on 2.3 acres at the intersection of Route 17K and Crossroads Court, next to the Choppers' current headquarters. Features include manufacturing and fabrication space, retail space, a 20-seat café, offices and warehouse space.

Preventing a foreclosure
The lender that financed Orange County Choppers' current headquarters, GE Commercial Finance Business Property Corp., filed a foreclosure action against the business in November, alleging it missed mortgage payments. Choppers has two mortgages through GE, one for $11 million and one for $1.5 million.
IDA board members suspect Teutul plans to move into the new building and abandon the current one to foreclosure.
"Don't we then become a party to avoiding a foreclosure?" board member Mary Ellen Rogulski asked. "Moving from building A to building B could probably be a way for a business to protect their business from a creditor."

Decision could cost area jobs
IDA Chairman James Petro at first seemed to favor the project, saying that if the IDA did not provide tax breaks, Orange County Choppers might leave the area, costing the region jobs. And then there's the national attention — and tourism dollars — the Choppers have brought to the region.
Petro ultimately acknowledged the project created at least the appearance of inappropriateness.

Planner tries to hide connection
The IDA gave the Choppers a package of tax breaks to build its current headquarters — which opened just three years ago. Last summer, the board approved a 10-year PILOT, or payment in lieu of taxes, for a restaurant the Choppers planned to build next to the headquarters.
During Wednesday's meeting, Daly attempted to conceal the connection between the new project and the Choppers.
"G&M Orange is not Orange County Choppers," he insisted.
"What is the product the company will produce?" board member John Steinberg asked.
"Fabrication of motorcycles," Daly replied.

Steinberg refined his question.
"Is this going to compete with the existing facility?"
Daly said no, and ultimately acknowledged Teutul was the principal of G&M Orange.
GE spokesman John Oliver declined to comment, except to say the company was proceeding with the foreclosure. Neither Teutul nor his lawyer returned calls seeking comment.

History of woes with creditors
This is not the first time the family behind the Choppers have been accused of dodging creditors.
Teutul Sr. and his sons Paul Teutul Jr. and Daniel Teutul were accused of engineering the bankruptcy of another family business, O.C. Iron Works Inc., in 2005 to avoid paying the company's creditors.
Two years later, the bankruptcy trustee filed a complaint saying the Teutuls systematically moved the assets of the steel-fabrication business to a new company with a similar name, then had O.C. Iron Works file for bankruptcy.
Daniel Teutul and the iron company agreed to pay $500,000 to settle the complaint. The two Pauls agreed to pay $50,000. "

-- Edited by Izzy Ryder on Thursday 29th of November 2012 07:43:32 PM