September 22, 2024
Report: Maryland Democratic Senate Nominee Angela Alsobrooks Allegedly Claimed Improper Tax Deductions
According to a report from CNN, Alsobrooks improperly took tax breaks that she didn't meet the qualifications for.
According to a report from CNN, Angela Alsobrooks, the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in Maryland, improperly took tax breaks that she didn’t meet the qualifications for, including one meant for low-income senior citizens.
An analysis of property records and tax documents by CNN indicates that Alsobrooks allegedly violated Maryland and local tax laws by claiming a homestead tax exemption on her residence for a decade, despite it being intended only for a person’s primary residence.
In addition, Alsobrooks claimed a senior citizens tax break on the property she holds in Washington, D.C., which cut her tax bill by 50%. The 53-year-old Alsobrooks has never qualified for that particular tax break, but according to CNN; her grandparents, who previously owned the property, likely did.
CNN spoke to Connor Lounsbury, a senior advisor for Alsobrooks, who informed the outlet that she and her attorneys are working to fix the issue with Prince George and Washington counties in Maryland and that Alsobrooks was unaware of the issue.
“She was unaware of any tax credits attached to that property and has reached out to the District of Columbia to resolve the issue and make any necessary payment,” Lounsbury said.
In 2014, Alsobrooks purchased an additional home in what is described as an “equestrian” community in Prince George’s County. The property was listed as her primary residence and she doesn’t take a homestead exemption on that property, which her advisor said costs the aspiring Senator more money.
“When Angela bought her new property, the homestead tax credit from her previous home was not transferred,” Lounsbury told CNN. “This resulted in no financial gain for Angela. In fact, she ended up paying more in taxes than she would have had the credit transferred over. Nevertheless, Angela is working to repay any credits received on the old property.”
Alsobrooks is currently a county executive in Prince George County and as part of her duties is responsible for overseeing the county budget and its tax collection division.
Alsobrooks reportedly used a tax exemption meant for citizens of Prince George’s County and its lower-income residents and senior citizens to save almost $14,000 in taxes between 2005 and 2017 on a property she owned in Northeast Washington; that is the property formerly owned by her grandparents who did have a senior citizens credit on the property.
According to Washington, D.C., law, the failure to cancel exemptions that a homeowner no longer meets can lead to “penalties equal to 10% of the delinquent tax and interest accruing each month at 1.5% until paid in full.” However, it is left to the discretion of the tax district to pursue penalties and the homeowner has to decide to cancel any exemptions they do not meet.
Ironically, Alsobrooks has made tax reform a central part of her campaign against former Republican Governor Larry Hogan, whose presence in the race has complicated things for the Maryland Democrat. On X, Alsobrooks called attention to the need for a more equitable tax system in March 2024.
“Too many Americans are struggling to get by and are forced to live paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet,” Alsobrooks wrote. “As your senator, I will fight for a fairer tax system that doesn’t deliver handouts to the top 1%.”
Her campaign also pointed to her record of pushing for local tax relief. In 2020 Alsobrooks opposed a county measure that would have raised property taxes to recoup losses incurred by the pandemic. In 2022, Alsobrooks signed a law giving eligible elderly residents a five-year property tax credit.
According to CNN, Alsobrooks is far from the only politician running for office who has had problems with improper use of tax exemptions. In addition to Hogan, who her campaign criticized for receiving a tax break on a mansion he owns in Edgewater, Maryland, while he lived in the governor’s mansion located in Annapolis. Several other politicians, including California’s Adam Schiff and Georgia Republican candidate Herschel Walker, also claimed to have two primary residences.
However, in Hogan’s case, governors and federal employees are exempt from residency requirements. The race between Hogan and Alsobrooks figures to remain hotly contested despite the tax-related allegations against Alsobrooks. As of August, several polls had Alsobrooks and Hogan in a dead heat, but a poll jointly conducted by The Hill, DC News Now, and Emerson College and released earlier in September had Alsobrooks ahead by seven points.
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