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Eviction order obtained in dispute By Chris Bristol A paraplegic Medford man about to be evicted from his home for unpaid property taxes got the attention of local authorities Wednesday after he appeared before the Jackson County Board of Commissioners and warned them, "You�re gonna have to kill me." County officials and witnesses alike were stunned and bothered by Paul Sarkozy�s threat. "I hope somebody helps him before something bad happens," commented Larry Riddler, a government critic and truck driver who was attending the meeting. "That man, he�s on the precipice." In an interview with the Mail Tribune later Wednesday night, Sarkozy repeated the warning. "Just let them know I�m gonna defend my house," he vowed. "I�m not a violent person. I don�t want to hurt anybody. But I don�t want to go with a wheelchair in the street." County officials have let Sarkozy stay in his house on Hillcrest Road, across from the Rogue Valley Country Club, ever since the county foreclosed on his property in late 1999. He had been feuding with the county assessor�s office for years, and owed more than $20,000 in back taxes. It�s been an unusual arrangement, and it�s about to end. A group of investors bought the house at auction two weeks ago, and Wednesday morning they won a court order evicting Sarkozy and his brother, Frank, from the place. Moments later, an angry and desperate Sarkozy wheeled himself into the courthouse auditorium and delivered his ultimatum. "He said it twice," recounted Denny Chancler, another government critic and local businessman who was at the meeting. "Sounded like he meant it, too." Sheriff�s Lt. Dewey Patten said Sarkozy made a similar threat to him earlier Wednesday morning, right after the eviction hearing. He said he is familiar with Sarkozy and has firsthand knowledge that Sarkozy is armed. "Obviously we aren�t going to go up there and provoke him into some kind of gunfight or anything else," Patten said. "There is a time limit (on the eviction), and we�ll try to work within that time limit to resolve this thing as peacefully as possible for everybody involved." Sarkozy, a native of Romania who sometimes goes by the last name Toth, bought the house in 1983 for $165,000. It was once owned by the North family, founders of the JJ North�s Grand Buffet restaurant chain. He was paralyzed years ago in a car wreck, and says he bought the place with the insurance settlement. Sarkozy�s feud with the county began over the true value of his home. Sarkozy complains the county was overvaluing his home, assessing it at one point for more than $400,000. County officials concede he won some "readjusments" in tax court. Although his rationale remains unclear, Sarkozy simply stopped paying taxes on the place in 1993. County administrator Sue Slack said the county was finally forced to foreclose on the property in 1999, when the amount of back-taxes owed topped $20,000. "He�s been living there free since late 1999," she said. Slack said the county has tried ever since then to fashion a compassionate solution. She said the county even offered to give the house to two different agencies � ACCESS and Senior and Disabled Services � if they would let the brothers stay. The deal never worked out, in part because the house is becoming dilapidated. Slack defended the county�s handling of the matter, noting for the record that the county collects taxes for all taxing districts, including schools and fire departments. "Foreclosure is not a pretty process," she said. "It�s a very serious matter, and it�s the result of many years of serious problems. We certainly never like to do it, but every once in a while it happens." Reach reporter Chris Bristol at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.