Posted on 05/17/2021 9:00:48 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
ATLANTA — A Channel 2 Action News investigation has found that Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and her husband have two active homestead exemptions, which is against Georgia law.
A homestead exemption is a big tax break any Georgia homeowner is entitled to for their primary residence. It is against the law to file for more than one.
But Channel 2 investigative reporter Justin Gray pulled records showing that the Greenes are getting the tax break on two different homes in two different counties.
In a statement, Greene’s office told Gray to mind his own business and called it a “pathetic smear” when he asked them about the homestead exemptions.
Greene still owns a North Fulton county home, but also bought a $610,000 house in Floyd County last year in the 14th Congressional district, which she represents.
A member of Congress does not have to live in the district they represent. But what you legally cannot do is file multiple homestead exemptions.
William Perry is the founder of the nonprofit Georgia Ethics Watchdogs.
“You get a tax break for your permanent residence. But you don’t get to do that in two places. That’s against the law,” Perry said.
Through open records requests, Channel 2 Action News pulled the Greenes’ homestead exemption applications in both Fulton and Floyd counties.
In the Floyd county application, Greene’s husband left blank the line that asked if they had another active exemption on any property.
But Fulton County tax officials confirm to Gray, that Greene never stopped getting the tax break on the Fulton property.
The Fulton County Board of Assessors said in a statement:
“The property owners filed for homestead exemption in Fulton County in May of 2019 and it became effective for the 2020 tax year. Per GA law, you can only have one homestead exemption. In this case, Fulton County will consult with Floyd County to confirm and determine in which county the exemption is not valid.”
Channel 2 Action News contacted Greene, who said in a statement:
“Georgians care about their livelihoods and their family’s safety. Yet WSB is focused on paperwork, which is being taken care of. I’m a proud resident of the 14th district. Justin Gray needs to mind his own business instead of launching yet another pathetic attempt to smear me and my family.”
But it’s more than a paperwork issue, it’s against Georgia law.
The penalty for filing a false homestead exemption according to Georgia code is twice your tax bill. For the Greenes, according to their 2020 bill, that could be nearly $12,000.
“This isn’t a paperwork issue, this is fraud. You can’t accidentally declare homestead exemption in two different counties,” Perry said.
UPDATE: More than 15 hours after our story aired, a spokesman for Marjorie Taylor Greene issued a second, new statement calling it “fake news” and blaming Fulton County for the error writing: “Fulton County did not respond to requests to cancel the exemption in January, possibly due to COVID. Everything has now been corrected”
Channel 2 investigative reporter Justin Gray reached out to Fulton County to see if they received anything from Greene, however Fulton County previously told Channel 2 Action News they had received no communication or documents from Greene regarding the Homestead tax exemption.
I was wondering how much it wound up to be in ‘savings’, too.
Seems like a silly thing for a higher profile person to do.
It took me many months to get a title for a car here in Georgia. Government offices were closed during much of 2020.
Who in their right mind would run for office?
Look at the way Democrats are adhering to “the law” in Arizona. Ignore subpoenas, shred everything in sight, refuse to appear. “The law” only works one way, and them and their media dogs will keep it up until our side fights back.
It took us 8 months to get a title for a used company truck we bought at a dealership in MI
Can you imagine the shrieks of OUTRAGE when we fail to “follow the law” in the old usual way?
If it’s not allowed, then how did she get the second exemption? Seems the problem is with whoever processed the exemption requests, not MTG and her husband. I’ve never owned a home, or any property. Am I missing something here?
Yes, you are missing the mandatory property tax payments.
This appears to be a miscommunication. They should have updated their records when they had a new homestead, but they forgot. This is no big crime and just requires an update to property tax records and payment of any taxes due.
I am going to use that. Consider it stolen.
Our side would never dox the “reporter” on this. Their side will put animal blood or feces on his home and follow him around town to harass him. That’s why their side usually wins.
“Did you really think we want those laws observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We want them to be broken. You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against... We're after power and we mean it... There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced or objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that's the system, Mr. Reardon, that's the game, and once you understand it, you'll be much easier to deal with.”
― Ayn Rand, Atlas Shrugged
More Georgia media/leftist organizations selected “investigations” of only conservatives? Remember, Gov. Abrams approved of this action. /sarc
“This could be an attempt at making a bookkeeping oversight on the part of the Greenes into a crime against humanity. “
It’s not a crime against humanity.
And it’s not a bookkeeping oversight.
It’s state tax fraud and certainly a knowing and deliberate act.
And the penalty is twice your tax bill.
That’s one of two possibilities. The second one is that it was a deliberate omission.
If it was an oversight, then admit it, pay the fine, and move on....
The Soviets are now in the US. Find me the person and I will find you the crime.
Leftists have made so many things illegal purposely so they can then selectively enforce all of those laws but only against their enemies.
married couple filing separately should be able to file homestead on 2 properties. one each.
It doesn’t matter.
Ignore the charges.
These are Alinsky tactics.
Go after Maxine Waters, Pelosi, and Omar without mercy. All are compromised.
Too bad the break-in at Matt DePerno's office in Michigan, despite it's similarity to the Watergate break-in, won't ever arouse the curiosity of the media's investigators.
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