Senior counsel for Angela Alsobrooks said she was unaware of the issue and that her lawyers were working with both Washington, D.C., and the state of Maryland to resolve the tax issues.
(CNN) — Angela Alsobrooks Democratic Candidate for U.S. Senate In Maryland, he improperly took advantage of tax breaks to which he was not entitled, including those for low-income seniors, to save thousands of dollars in taxes on two properties he owned in Washington, D.C., and Maryland.
A CNN review of property records and tax bills found that for more than a decade, Alsobrooks claimed homestead tax exemptions on both properties that actually only apply to his primary residence, violating state and local tax abatement requirements.
She also improperly claimed a senior citizen tax credit on the Washington property, cutting her taxes in half. Although Also-Brooks, 53, was not eligible for the credit, her grandparents, who owned the property before her, likely were.
A senior counsel for Alsobrooks told CNN she was unaware of the issue and that her lawyers were working with both Washington state and Prince George's County, Maryland, to resolve it.
Between 2005 and 2017, Alsobrooks saved about $14,000 in taxes on his Northeast Washington property by taking advantage of tax exemptions available to area residents, low-income residents and seniors, according to property tax bills reviewed by CNN.
But public records show she has never lived in Washington. She has been registered to vote in Prince George's County since 1995. Longtime government officialShe currently serves as the county executive. Supervise County Budget and Tax Collection Department.
Connor Lounsberry, a senior adviser to Alsobrooks, told CNN that after his grandmother moved out of her Northeast Washington home, Alsobrooks continued to pay the mortgage on the property until it was sold in 2018. “My grandmother was unaware that the property had a tax credit and contacted the District of Columbia to resolve the issue and make the necessary payments,” Lounsberry said.
Alsobrooks bought a townhouse in Prince George's County in 2005. She applied for and was granted a residential tax exemption for the townhouse in 2008, according to state records. She eventually began renting the property, although it's unclear when, but it continued to receive the tax exemption for primary residence.
County records on townhouse property tax bills go back only to fiscal year 2020, but it's estimated the exemptions have saved the county at least $2,600 since then.
In 2014, Also-Brooks bought another home in the “Equestrian” community of Prince George's County. She listed the property as her primary residence on a mortgage, but didn't use the homeowners tax exemption there. Her campaign points out that it actually cost her money.
“When Angela purchased her new property, the homeowners tax credit from her previous home was not transferred over,” Lounsbery said. “Because of this, Angela did not realize any financial benefit. In fact, she ended up paying more tax than she would have if the credit had been transferred over. Nevertheless, Angela is working to pay back the credit she received on her old property.”
Important Senate Elections
After winning a fiercely contested Democratic primary earlier this year, Alsobrooks will face off against Republican former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan to fill the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Ben Cardin.
In most election cycles, a Democratic candidate from heavily Democratic Maryland would be guaranteed victory in November's general election, but Hogan's entry into the race has made the seat a hotbed of contention, exacerbating Democrats' struggle to hold on to power by needing to hold on to seven tough contests just to maintain a 50-50 Senate majority.
The improper use of tax exemptions, at least politically, has long plagued politicians running for office. In 2023, CNN's KFile California Democratic Congressman Adam Schiff reportedly claimed residency in both California and Maryland simultaneously for loan purposes; and 2022CNN reported that Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker received a tax break on the home he planned to use as his primary residence in Texas, even though he was campaigning in Georgia.
Alsobrooks' campaign also said Hogan received a tax cut He was photographed in 2016 at his Edgewater, Maryland, home while living in the Governor's Mansion in Annapolis, though governors and federal employees are exempt from the residency requirement.
The home tax exemption is intended to exempt a portion of the value of your home from property taxes and applies to your primary residence, not a rental or investment property.
Records show that Ms. Alsobrooks acquired the Washington, D.C., property after her grandmother transferred ownership to her in late 2003. Her grandparents likely qualified for the senior citizen tax exemption, and Ms. Alsobrooks did not change their exemption status.
DC law states: If a homeowner fails to revoke an exemption that no longer applies, they could be “subject to a penalty equal to 10 percent of the delinquent tax, plus 1.5 percent interest per month until paid in full.” But it's the district's responsibility to sue the homeowner, and it's the homeowner's responsibility to revoke the exemption if their circumstances change.
Alsobrooks continues to apply for a home-tax exemption for her Maryland townhouse, even though she no longer lives there and uses it as a rental property.
It's unclear when Alsobrooks began renting the property, but state records show he applied for a license to rent the property in 2021. In a financial disclosure posted in August, he disclosed that he earns rental income from residential properties between $15,000 and $50,000.
Also-Brooks' campaign highlighted her record of campaigning for lower council taxes. In the summer of 2020, Also-Brooks opposed the county's action It would have increased property taxes to make up for revenue lost during the COVID-19 pandemic. And in 2022She signed legislation giving qualifying seniors a property tax exemption for up to five years.
A career that breaks barriers
Alsobrooks has a history of breaking barriers, having become the first woman elected state's attorney in Prince George's County in 2010 and the first female county commissioner in the suburban Maryland county in 2018.
She overcame tough odds in this year's Democratic primary to fill the Senate seat vacated by Cardin, and her opponent, the well-funded Rep. David Trone, outspent her by nearly 10 times, pouring more than $60 million of his own money into the campaign.
But despite Trone's attacks against her, Also-Brooks ultimately won by 10 points, as her party sought to make her the first black woman elected to the U.S. Senate from Maryland.
Alsobrooks has attempted to mount a national campaign against Hogan, a popular former governor who has sought to distance himself from the former president. Donald TrumpShe has sought to drum up support from the state's strong Democratic base, arguing that a Hogan victory would likely mean Republicans would regain control of the Senate, regaining the power to set the agenda and approve judicial nominees.
During her campaign, Alsobrooks campaigned for a “fairer tax system” and was a vocal critic of tax cuts for the wealthiest taxpayers.
“Too many Americans are struggling to make ends meet and need to make ends meet before payday,” Alsobrooks said. Post to X “As a senator, I will fight for a fairer tax system that doesn't hand out handouts to the top 1 percent,” he said earlier this year.
CNN Wire
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