Posted on 10/28/2004 5:36:55 AM PDT by ConservativeMajority
WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- When Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) and his lobbyist wife Linda departed Washington, DC a few weeks ago, the latest controversy surrounding their dubious qualification for a property tax break on the $1.9 million house they bought last year had just begun. The "homestead tax exemption" that requires at least one owner to declare the property a "principal place of residence, was first claimed by the senator, and later claimed by his wife following a Talon News report in August 2003 and is currently under investigation by the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue.
The couple contends that it is Mrs. Daschle who qualifies for the tax exemption since she has declared that the mansion on Foxhall Road is her "domicile." She holds a driver's license issued by the District of Columbia and files an individual income tax return with the city. But inexplicably, Mrs. Daschle is registered to vote in South Dakota, and last week cast an absentee ballot there. The senator has never rescinded his declaration that Washington, DC is his "primary place of residence."
The Daschles return to South Dakota didn't provide a respite from the questions about residency and tax breaks. According to the Brown County Assessor's Office, the home Sen. Daschle claims to be his residence, 1615 South First Street in Aberdeen, is receiving a lower mill levy on property taxes that is reserved for those who qualify as owner-occupier of a single family residence. According to the Assessor's Office, this lower tax rate is directed to South Dakota property owners, "as long as you own it and live in it."
While the senator's mother occupies the house, the deed is jointly held by him and his wife. Both of them list the house as their address on their voter registration. A daughter, Lindsay, is also registered to vote at that address, but lives in Washington, DC.
Daschle's claim to property tax breaks in both South Dakota and Washington, DC is likely to cause more problems for the Senator who is engaged in an election that is a dead heat with less than a week to go.
Daschle's opponent in the November election, former Republican Rep. John Thune, has portrayed him as having two sides: a conservative in Aberdeen and a liberal in Washington. He says that over 26 years in Congress, Daschle has lost touch with South Dakota values.
Others have been harsher in their criticism, suggesting that Daschle is "gaming the system."
Calls to the Daschle campaign for comment were not returned.
Copyright © 2004 Talon News -- All rights reserved.
Why is it that democrats who continually push for higher taxes use every trick in the book in getting out of paying the taxes...?
That Tom Daschle is a real stinker.
If Dashole is doing it, how many OTHERS (D/R) are doing it also?.......
Probably All.
Main Entry: in·ex·pli·ca·ble
Pronunciation: "i-nik-'spli-k&-b&l, (")i-'nek-(")spli-
Function: adjective
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin inexplicabilis, from in- + explicabilis explicable
: incapable of being explained, interpreted, or accounted for
***Oh, I think we can explain, interpret, or account for it.
This story needs to be FReeped. Let's keep up the pressure.
Jeff Gannon newstips@talonews.com
In Re: Talon news stories on Daschle's DC Tax Exemption
Talon News tells the sorry tale of Sen Daschle's Kafkaesque metamorphosis from a down-home South Dakotan to an ultra-liberal lord of a $1.9 million Washington mansion who does not even pay his fair share of property taxes.
Talon News reports that the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) is investigating whether Sen Daschle is actually entitled to a property tax exemption he claimed on the $1.9 million Washington mansion he and his wife purchased in 2003, and that Sen Daschle declared on official documents filed with OTR that the District mansion was his "principal place of residence."
At issue is the homestead exemption, a property tax credit limited to owner-occupants who declare their homes to be their "primary residence."
The affidavit filed with OTR that bears the senator's signature makes that claim. A flurry of activity began on September 29, 2004 when Talon News filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for the executed application. That same day, Carl Piggott, an OTR auditor rescinded the homestead exemption---possibly at Sen Daschle's direction. The following day, the OTR legal staff reinstated the credit.
A Talon News source reported that OTR faxed a letter
to Daschle's Washington office on Monday asking that a new application be executed. The details of the activities that ensued beginning September 29 have not yet been revealed, but Doug Schauss, a spokesman for the OTR told Talon News that the matter was "under review with the legal staff" and that a "resolution was expected soon."
These puzzling circumstances suggest Sen Daschle has something to hide.
First Sen Daschle claims he did, and then he says he didnt, apply for a tax exemption. He can't have it both ways. South Dakotans should ask themselves, If Sen Daschle lied to you about this issue, what else has he lied to you about?"
(Ms. Kaiser Sose): "Listen, Short one, do not worry about the IRS.
I STILL control them and also one thousand FBI files.
No one will ever DARE touch you or me.
Now bring out the dead for the election."
You know, I'm sure many people do the same thing when it comes to taking advantage of the homestead exemptions on local property taxes.
But those same people do not, unlike Senator Daschle, stand up in public and piously spout off about how "rich" people (OTHER people) need to pay higher taxes....errr, I mean, pay "their fair share"...
I hope Daschle goes down. He is a sniveling little hyprocrite and it will be a fitting end to a career that has focused for almost 4 years on on obstructing the President, regardless of the issue or consequence.
To escape paying their fair share of taxes, does Hillary list her home in DC as her principal residence, and does Billy list his home in Chapaqua as his principal residence? How can we find the facts on this possible/likely arrangement?
Should be public information.
Search the Chappaqua tax rolls.
Call the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR).
Probably a fair number. But if this embarassment winds up costing Daschle then I'll bet you'll see a long line of congresscreatures at the Tax window come next Wednesday.
I've been to Russell. I don't blame Dole in the least.
Taxes are for the little people.
After the good people of South Dakota kick his sorry butt out of office he may stay in DC, but I bet his wife's income takes a nosedive when her credentials only include the "wife of an ex-senator".
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