Posted on 03/21/2009 6:09:09 AM PDT by radar101
Maryland officials are considering revoking a property tax exemption for a California congressman, a member of a House tax-writing committee who says his principal residence is in Maryland.
C. John Sullivan Jr., director of the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation, confirmed yesterday that officials are examining the property tax bill of Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.), who claimed his Anne Arundel County home as his principal residence and until recently was able to have his property taxes reduced. But under recent changes in Maryland law, homeowners can claim a "homestead exemption" only if they hold a Maryland driver's license or state identification card and pay state income taxes.
Although Stark pays income taxes in Maryland and California, his driver's license is from California, where he is registered to vote and rents a residence in his home district near San Francisco.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Why isn’t this a fraud?
It sure sounds like it and it might end up being the case. This might be the initial story...more to come I suspect.
Was that a question?
I don’t blame anybody, democrat or republican, for doing whatever they can to reduce their taxes. Just wish the aholes would reduce them for all of us. I don’t see this than anything other than a dumb move by Stark, being a CA congressman.
Stark has little to worry about. Maryland doesn't have the same onerous restrictions on voting, so he could probably vote here if he chose to do so.
Doesn't the California State Constitution require anyone representing a district be a legal of the district??
Agree. There is a difference between tax avoidance, i.e., tax planning within the law, and tax fraud. Everyone should feel free to avoid taxes.
The US Constitution also requires that anyone serving as a representative be a resident of the state in which his/her district is located. However, I am guessing that Pete Stark probably has a California driver's license with his district's home address on it. If he had a Maryland driver's license on the other hand, then it would be proper to have him unseated as he is no longer a legal resident of California.
That being said, as he is a non-resident of Maryland... he should pay the property tax required of him as such.
“...Pete Stark probably has a California driver’s license with his district’s home address on it. ...”
why does a driver’s license determine legal residence??
why not where you pay taxes - specifically property taxes??
A driver's license should be an indicator of, not a determinant of, legal residence. Most states (not Maryland, funny enough) require that you prove legal residency in order to get a driver's license or an ID card.
why not where you pay taxes - specifically property taxes??
If someone owns property in multiple states they pay tax to all those states. There's no way someone can claim to be a resident of multiple states at a single time.
with these porous borders, maybe a general tightening of laws to satisfy legal requirements might be in order.
More tax-dodging politicians...
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
That Pete Stark (D-Calif.)! The man who has done the most to destroy the American medical industry. I am just so surprised. [/sarcasm]
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