ICYMI: Casten is a tax cheat
As Sean Casten works to raise Illinois families’ taxes in Congress, he’s cheating the system to give himself a tax break on his luxury second home in D.C.
In case you missed it…
Oppo dump! Another homestead exemption issue
Capitol Fax
Rich Miller
January 15, 2020
https://capitolfax.com/2020/01/15/oppo-dump-another-homestead-exemption-issue/
[US Rep. Sean Casten] claims his condo on Massachusetts Ave as his primary residence while running for Congress in Illinois.
Sean Casten currently takes a homestead deduction on his Condo in Washington, DC. In order to take a homestead deduction in Washington, DC, a property must be the owners ‘primary residence’:
On January 2, 2019, Sean Casten purchased a Condo at 555 Massachusetts Ave NW in Washington DC.
(DC Office of Tax and Revenue, “Property Search – 555 Massachusetts Ave NW United 219,” Accessed 3/19/19)
Casten claimed the homestead deduction on his Washington, DC condo – claiming it as his primary residence.
(DC Office of Tax and Revenue, “Property Search – xxx Massachusetts Ave NW United 219,” Accessed 3/19/19)
According to the Office of Tax and Revenue for the government of Washington, DC, in order to take homestead exemption the property must be the primary residence of its owner. “The property must be the principal residence (domicile) of the owner/applicant.” (DC Office of Tax and Revenue, “Homestead/Senior Citizen Deduction”, Accessed 3/20/19)
The homestead deduction reduced Casten’s taxes by $636.23. (DC Office of Tax and Revenue, “Property Search – xxx Massachusetts Ave NW United 219,” Accessed 3/19/19)
Yep. Checks out.
Oops.
I reached out to Casten’s campaign yesterday. Spokesperson Chloe Hunt’s initial response today…
As soon as Sean became aware of the error he immediately took action to remove the exemption, rectify the situation, and pay back the difference.
Casten’s letter to the DC tax office…
Office of Tax and Revenue, Real Property Administration
PO BOX 176
Washington, DC 20044
To the DC Office of Tax and Revenue,
I recently learned that through a clerical error, I have been receiving the Homestead deduction on a property I purchased in 2019. To address this error, I have filled out the FP-105 Cancellation of Homestead Deduction – Senior Citizen/Disabled Tax Relief form through your website, a copy of which is attached to this letter. I also submitted a payment through the online portal with the amount of property tax that was mistakenly deducted from my tax bill.
Thank you,
Sean Casten
They also sent along screen shots of the cancellation.
But, I wondered, how was this a “clerical error”? The reply…
The exemption was applied to the property in 2016 at the request of a previous owner.
Following Rep. Casten’s purchase in 2019, he’s taken steps to remove the exemption and paid the full amount of the taxes without the exemption.
Stand by for a response which I am sure is coming.