Desert Hot Springs Councilman Explains Tax Liens

DESERT HOT SPRINGS -Businessman Scott Matas runs the UPS Store in town. Matas used to own the Firerock Tavern with business partners. It was the favorite spot for Desert Hot Springs election night victory parties.

His bar was part of the Hotel Shilla.When the spa went bankrupt after a News Channel 3 investigation Spring of 2008, Matas says efforts to sell the liquor license resulted in escrow delays and back taxes. Even though the liens go back to 2006, Matas says he discovered he owed back taxes in 2008 and started to pay them off.

“It was the right thing to do. To sell the license, pay the debts off and walk away with no money which we did. Our partners and I put down $100,000 into our business and came back with not even a dime,” explains Matas.

That explanation is not good enough for one of Matas’ rivals in the November council race Robert Bentley.

“Taking in this money and not turning it to the state. It’s devastating to any campaign and I don’t know any possible explanation that the voters could buy,” says Bentley.

Robert Bentley and Scott Matas have some history together. Matas filed a police report about an alleged incident earlier this year.

After an official meeting at city hall, Matas claimed Bentley threatened him with a hand motion simulating firing a gun.

Police opened up a case. Bentley denied it. Despite an alleged witness, police had no evidence for an arrest.

When asked if he made a gun-like motion to Matas, Bentley answered, “Oh, no. I went like that.” Bentley points his finger in a common pointing gesture.

Bentley adds, “It was not like a gun. It was in no way like a gun. The conversations had nothing to do with anything of that kind.”

When asked if politics are getting personal in Desert Hot Springs, Bentley responded, “All I can tell him is, don’t break the law, because I’m going to put them in prison. We’ve reached the point where I’m not going to turn the other cheek anymore.”

Matas counters, “The candidate who’s bringing this out wants to show that I don’t pay my taxes. But I did. I did pay my taxes. It takes a little longer than hoped. But I was making payments. We’ve finished paying it off when the escrow was finished.”