Posted on 07/29/2008 7:54:20 AM PDT by Red Badger
Accusing U.S. Rep. Robert Wexler of being more of a Maryland resident than a Floridian, the six-term Democrat's challengers in the Nov. 4 general election say he can't sufficiently grasp area residents' concerns about home ownership costs because he isn't paying local property taxes or rents. The criticism follows news reports that Wexler is the only member of Congress from Florida who doesn't own a home in the district, and therefore pays no Florida property taxes. "When he says he feels for you and understands your pain of high property taxes, well, he may feel for you but he doesn't experience it as if it were him paying," said former Broward Mayor Ben Graber, who is running for the 19th Congressional District under no party affiliation. Republican Ed Lynch, of Royal Palm Beach, another Wexler challenger, said: "He can't truly represent the people if he doesn't know what it's like to be in the district. There's not much of an argument he can make to other members of Congress and state officials about property taxes if he isn't actually paying our property taxes." Wexler pays taxes on the home he owns in Montgomery County, Maryland. His most recent tax bill there includes a $948 state property tax and a $7,747 county property tax. Wexler doesn't pay any income taxes. There's no Florida income tax, and members of Congress are exempt from paying income taxes on their residences in the Washington, D.C. area. The south Palm Beach County home of Wexler's in-laws' that he uses as his official residence has been tax exempt since 2002.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
Wexler is an idiot. He should just rent an apartment in his district, and be done with the issue, but he’s too greedy for that.
Reverse double dipping. He pays no state income taxes, and his "official" Florida residence is exempt from property taxes.
Hell! It ain't even HIS! It belongs to his mother-in-law!............
Ummm, so the argument is the guy is dumb for finding a legal way to not pay taxes.
Yeah what an idiot /sarc.
The guy is a scumbag, but this is an irrational argument by people who are resenting their OWN decisions.
What a piece of trash!
Wexler represents everything that is wrong with this country. Libs suck.
He has always been a snot nosed punk .... but remember .. her represents snot nosed punks. The elect him over and over .... and get what they deserve.
No, he is using a residence that is owned by his mother-in-law as his "official" Florida residence, which he does not actually live in, nor could he. It is a "retirement" community that does not allow children, and he has school age children. As a retirement community, it is exempt from Florida property taxes, which is a boon to her, not him. He, OTOH, has a home in Maryland, sends his kids to school and actually lives there. His property in Maryland is exempt from their taxes by Federal law. He apparently comes to his "home" district only for campaigns or disasters. He is the only Florida Congresscritter that does this. It is a disgrace................
No doubt he makes up for it by voting in both states...
This far left nut case is my representative. UGH!
He is a jerk and is playing the tax game to avoid paying much but the article says he IS paying Md property tax.
But not Maryland’s INCOME tax. Florida has no income taxes.............
Florida has no income tax either so we now know Wexler is a scam artist as well as being a demonlib.
Yes—but as the article notes under federal law Congress exempted itself from paying income tax on DC area housing for itself ,subjecting Congress to the income taxes in their home state only. In this case, luckily for Wexler Fla has no such tax.
He is cheating Fla only and only by not renting or owning anything in his district. I think he’s also violated Fla residency laws for that exemption and for eligibility for office, but that’s for the Fla courts and voters to decide. Frankly, the best thing would be if his constituents finally wised up and voted him out of office.
Agreed, but that is NOT likely to happen. His district is rock solid (D) liberal-anything-goes. It would surprise me if he didn't win by a huge margin..........
Tax evading SOB.
I thought that all real democrats LOVED high taxes!!! /s
I don’t know—my mom lives there—I told her long ago he was scum and now she’s starting to believe it. He’s vulnerable—support his opponent and give it a shot.
I used to live down there in the late 70’s early 80’s. We now live up here in the panhandle by Destin..............Our rep was born and raised here................
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