Sebastian City Councilman Damien Gilliams owes property and business taxes for 2017, 2018, and 2019, according to the Indian River County Property Appraiser’s website.
Gilliams, who owns the No Name Bar and other property in Indian River County, owes $17,986.44 for 2017 & 2018, and $14,201.89 on taxes now due for 2019.
Below are the property and business taxes due for 2017 and 2018:
- $1,666.78 – 2 North Myrtle Street in Fellsmere
- $3,792.12 – 36 North Myrtle Street in Fellsmere
- $3,713.26 – 1623 U.S. Highway 1 A-5 in Sebastian (also includes 2017)
- $468.14 – 8176 96th Avenue in Vero Beach
- $8,346.14 – 490 U.S. Highway 1 in Sebastian (No Name Bar)
- Total: $17,986.44
Below are the property and business taxes due for 2019:
- $1,351.74 – 2 North Myrtle Street in Fellsmere
- $3,413.89 – 36 North Myrtle Street in Fellsmere
- $1,344.20 – 1623 U.S. Highway 1 A-5 in Sebastian
- $168.54 – 8176 96th Avenue in Vero Beach
- $664.46 – 713 Layport Drive in Sebastian
- $7,259.06 – 490 U.S. Highway 1 in Sebastian (No Name Bar)
- Total: $14,201.89
Total property and business taxes now due: $32,188.33.
Over the years, Gilliams has had a history of being late with his taxes. Before the recent City Council elections, we asked Gilliams why he doesn’t pay his taxes on time.
“As for [paying] my taxes on time, they get paid on time every year through the bidding process. I just take the money and reinvest it in the market and then pay them when the lien comes due,” Gilliams told Sebastian Daily.
Former city councilwoman Linda Kinchen was at last Wednesday’s city council meeting and addressed the tax issue involving Gilliams, as well as the recent controversy involving disgraced city councilwoman Pamela Parris.
“Being a city council member is an honor and a privilege awarded to you all by the residents of Sebastian, and so I would like to take this chance to tell you that you should know and expect that everything you do and you say is under a microscope 24 hours a day. Whether it be publicly, privately, or on social media. So, if you’re going to call the residents of Sebastian names, or if you’re not going to pay your taxes up to date, you don’t belong up there. Give a public apology for the name-calling and pay the taxes that are overdue,” Kinchen told the council members.
Gilliams also faced scrutiny for helping to reinstate Robert Bedea, a member of the Natural Resources Board, by dismissing a hearing to listen to evidence at the city council meeting. Bedea was charged with Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer last summer.
Gilliams and Bedea also serve together on the board for the self-proclaimed Sebastian Property Owners Association.
