{"id":74733,"date":"2020-02-06T10:27:13","date_gmt":"2020-02-06T17:27:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/tennis-star-andrea-jaeger-runs-afoul-of-tax-assessor-in-colorado\/"},"modified":"2020-02-06T17:27:13","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T17:27:13","slug":"tennis-star-andrea-jaeger-runs-afoul-of-tax-assessor-in-colorado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dh.durangoherald.com\/tj\/tennis-star-andrea-jaeger-runs-afoul-of-tax-assessor-in-colorado\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennis star Andrea Jaeger runs afoul of tax assessor in Colorado"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\"Andrea
Andrea Jaeger had her tennis career cut short because of injuries. She then went on to charity work and for a time, became a nun.<\/span>Associated Press file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

A nonprofit for kids with cancer run by former tennis star Andrea Jaeger was flagged recently for wrongfully collecting tax breaks, after she allegedly tried to mislead state and county officials that her property in La Plata County was being used for the charity.<\/p>\n

The issue reached a breaking point in October when Jaeger, trying to prove the property was being used for the nonprofit, invited county officials to an event she said was for kids with cancer. At the event, however, county officials learned the children were from a local school and were not sick.<\/p>\n

\u201cI talked to all the parents there, and they all said an art teacher from Fort Lewis Mesa (Elementary School) invited them to an art contest,\u201d County Assessor Carrie Woodson said. \u201cAt that point, I left because I was disgusted. That is not OK \u2013 using kids from a neighborhood school to not pay taxes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Andrea
Andrea Jaeger bought property in La Plata County for her charity, the Little Star Foundation, in the 2000s. State and county officials say she has been wrongfully receiving tax breaks at least since 2018.<\/span>Associated Press file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Jaeger, 54, was ranked as the No. 2 tennis player in the world in the 1980s, according to the Women\u2019s Tennis Association, when she was just a teenager. Her career was cut short, however, because of injuries. Since then, she has been part of various charities and philanthropy, and for a time, was a nun with the Anglican Order of Preachers.<\/p>\n

From tennis to philanthropy<\/div>\n

In the 1980s, Jaeger started an organization based in Aspen called the Little Star Foundation to help children with cancer \u201cthrough financial assistance, education, medical support, therapeutic play and outreach care programs,\u201d the foundation\u2019s website says.<\/p>\n

The charity operates in 37 states and 11 countries, Jaeger said.<\/p>\n

Jaeger ran into financial issues with the nonprofit in 2009, according to The New York Times<\/em>. As a result, she tried to sell the foundation\u2019s property in Aspen for $13.5 million, but neighborhoods said she was breaking homeowners association covenants, which resulted in a lawsuit.<\/p>\n

She ultimately sold the property for $10.5 million to a private owner in 2010, according to The Aspen Times<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Around 2006, Jaeger relocated Little Star\u2019s operation to a sprawling 271-acre property at 256 Rancho Milagro Way, about a 30-minute drive southwest of Durango, which she bought in the early 2000s.<\/p>\n

Over the years, the property has seen several improvements and now includes a modular home, a 7,144-square-foot indoor riding arena for horses, attached apartments and a 4,128-square-foot Southwest-style home.<\/p>\n

In Colorado, certain properties \u2013 such as religious institutes, nonprofits and government offices \u2013 can receive a break on their property tax. Jaeger filed for and was granted tax exemptions on the property in 2010 under the premise she was actively running a charity for kids with cancer.<\/p>\n

But around 2014, Jaeger briefly lost her exemption because she didn\u2019t file her annual paperwork with the state in time to renew the tax break. It was one of the first signals to the county that the property wasn\u2019t being used for its charitable purposes, and Jaeger was possibly taking advantage of the tax break, Woodson said.<\/p>\n

\u201cDuring that time, I went to visit the property,\u201d said Woodson, who was then an appraiser for the Assessor\u2019s Office. \u201cAnd it appeared to be sitting there vacant.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Andrea
Andrea Jaeger was once the No. 2 tennis player when she was in her teenage years.<\/span>Associated Press file<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Colorado\u2019s Division of Property Taxation, which manages property tax throughout the state, has ultimate say in overseeing tax exemptions. JoAnne Groff, property tax administrator for the state, said that at the time, there wasn\u2019t enough evidence to revoke the tax exemption.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe sent an investigator to inspect the property,\u201d Groff said. \u201cAnd although he didn\u2019t see signs of use, the property owner (Jaeger) provided an email explaining the use of the property throughout the year, and we determined the tax exemption appropriate.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018A lot of excuses\u2019<\/div>\n

Woodson, who was elected county assessor in 2018, refocused attention on Little Star. Over the course of 2019, she asked Jaeger for any kind of documentation, such as photos from a recent event, to prove the property was being actively used for the nonprofit.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of back and forth, and a lot of excuses,\u201d Woodson said. \u201cBut I never received anything.\u201d<\/p>\n

When interviewed, neighbors in the area also said they never saw the property active.<\/p>\n

Jaeger did not respond to direct questions about the issue of her tax status when contacted by The Durango Herald<\/em>. Instead, she responded with a brief statement complaining about the expense of operating a nonprofit in Colorado.<\/p>\n

In correspondences between Jaeger and the county, obtained by the Herald<\/em> through an open records request, Jaeger repeatedly cited privacy issues with taking children\u2019s photos. And she said the property wasn\u2019t active year-round.<\/p>\n

\u201cI guarantee you programs are not run 365 days a year at the location,\u201d she wrote. \u201cThat is financially and otherwise impossible as we are unlike other places that charge families.\u201d<\/p>\n

In some instances, Jaeger would tell county officials about events happening on certain weekends, but Woodson said she would send her staff to the property, who would find zero evidence of activity. When pressed, Jaeger said cars were in garages or people were inside buildings.<\/p>\n

A misleading event?<\/div>\n

Last fall, Jaeger invited the county assessor to an event Oct. 12 that was being held for children and families, who Jaeger said were receiving \u201cprogram benefits such as financial assistance, daily need supplies and \u2026 wonderful care packages that do involve long-term care.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jaeger said there would also be kids there with \u201cspecial needs.\u201d She instructed the county assessor not to speak with any of the parents or children at the event.<\/p>\n

But Woodson said she spoke with parents anyway, and they all had the same story: an art teacher at Fort Lewis Mesa Elementary invited them to the property for an art contest.<\/p>\n

According to a state report from the Division of Property Taxation calling for the revocation of Little Star\u2019s tax exemption, Jaeger never mentioned an art contest. Woodson maintains the same. Instead, the premise of the invitation to the event, according to the state report, was for \u201cchildren with cancer or other terminal illnesses.\u201d However, the report said, \u201cAll of the kids that were participating \u2026 were healthy kids from a local elementary school.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cSo not only does it appear as though Andrea set up this event last minute to appear as though the organization uses the property for their charitable purposes, but this event does not seem to have a connection with the purpose of the organization,\u201d the report said.<\/p>\n

\"Andrea
Andrea Jaeger, a former tennis pro, purchased this property 30 minutes southwest of Durango with the intent to run a charity for kids with cancer. But county and state officials began to suspect about six years ago it wasn\u2019t an active charity.<\/span>Jerry McBride\/Durango Herald<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p>

Groff said her office looked back at Jaeger\u2019s filings with the state and found there was enough cause to retroactively revoke the exemption back to 2018.<\/p>\n

\u201cA charitable organization needs to prove to us they deserve the exemption,\u201d Groff said. \u201cWe did not feel the efforts of Little Star showed that was happening.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jaeger had the opportunity to appeal the revocation, but instead, she decided to sell the property. After it was originally listed for $5 million, the property sold in November for $1.5 million to a private owner.<\/p>\n

While there is no further punishments that can be administered from the state level, Woodson said she was able to contact the title company and inform it about taxes potentially due because of revocation.<\/p>\n

As a result, Jaeger may have to pay back-taxes from 2018 and 2019, which add up to about $50,000.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor me, it was about being fair and equitable in La Plata County,\u201d Woodson said. \u201cWhen I realized this property was not used for the use it was intended, I just kept pushing back really hard, trying to get any verification on the use of this property for the charity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Woodson, who has been with the Assessor\u2019s Office for more than 20 years, said she cannot recall a single instance of a charity having its tax exemption revoked.<\/p>\n

Groff said that across the state, it\u2019s a little more common. In 2019, for instance, there were about 37 revocations statewide.<\/p>\n

\u201c(With tax exemptions) the community is being asked to pick up the tab for them, because what they are doing is supposed to contribute to the community,\u201d Groff said. \u201cSo if there isn\u2019t that contribution happening back to the community, that hurts all of us.\u201d<\/p>\n

jromeo@durangoherald.com<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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