On Bail Reform, Property Loss, and Fires
The Leonard family home, owned by my dad Bruce and his wife Debi (Deborah), was sold in May 2022 for a grand total of $20,000. Many were surprised at the sale, the condition of the house being so dilapidated. It was sold for taxes. So much was owed that we ended up in the negative on the deal. Our real estate attorney didn't get paid, and the real estate agents representing buyer and seller split the commission of $2,000. Why did we bother with selling to get nothing out of it? Because my father's integrity is just that solid. He owed the village, the county, and the school district, and the only way he could pay up was to liquidate the only property of value that he had. None of the family had the funds to continue paying the taxes on the home while the owners were incarcerated. Personally, I made the executive decision that the house should not be my father's to return to when he is released. The option shouldn't even exist. He had a difficult time making the decisio...