Maryland Senate Candidate Angela Alsobrooks Wrongfully Claimed Property Tax Deductions: Report

WASHINGTON – Prince George’s County Executive Anglea Alsobrooks, who is running for the Maryland Senate, allegedly took advantage of tax breaks she was not entitled to, a CNN investigation has found.

Alsobrooks allegedly illegally claimed tax breaks on homes in Maryland and the District of Columbia. CNN reports that the county executive claimed a Maryland property tax exemption that should apply only to a primary residence, as well as a senior citizen tax break on a property in Washington, D.C.

CNN reports that after reviewing her property records and tax bills for both properties, the 53-year-old would not qualify for any senior citizen deductions, but her grandparents, who owned properties in D.C. before her, likely would. According to the report, the deduction saved her nearly $14,000 in taxes between 2005 and 2017.

“Many Marylanders know how difficult and complex it is when a family member has to leave their home. When this happened to Angela’s grandmother, Angela rose to the occasion and took over for her family, paying off the mortgage until the property was sold in 2018. She was unaware of any tax breaks associated with the property and turned to the District of Columbia to resolve the matter and make any necessary payments,” Alsobrooks Senior Counsel Connor Lounsbury told FOX 5 in a statement.

According to CNN, her Maryland property was purchased in 2005, and in 2008, she applied for a property tax exemption on the townhouse.

Alsobrooks eventually began renting out the property while continuing to use the primary resident exemption, which violated state and local tax credit requirements. CNN estimates the exemption would have saved her at least $2,600 since 2020.

Then in 2014, CNN reports that Alsobrooks bought another home in an “equestrian” community in Prince George’s County. The property is listed as her primary residence, but it is not exempt from property taxes.

“When Angela purchased the new property, the property tax relief from her previous home was not carried over. This did not provide Angela with any financial benefit. In fact, she ended up paying more in taxes than if the relief had been carried over. However, Angela is working to repay any relief she received on the old property,” her spokesperson said.

A senior adviser to Alsobrooks told CNN she was unaware of the issue and that her lawyers were working with officials in the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County to resolve the matter.

Alsobrooks Senate race

Alsobrooks won the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate in May, defeating Rep. David Trone and setting up a fight to retain the party’s majority in the Senate in the November general election.

A lifelong resident of Prince Georgia and a former county state’s attorney, she became the chief executive in 2018 of the second-largest jurisdiction in Maryland with the most registered Democrats in the state.

Her primary victory set up a general election contest against Republican former Gov. Larry Hogan. The winner will replace retiring Sen. Ben Cardin.

Alsobrooks is seeking to become Maryland’s first black U.S. senator and one of the few black women to serve in the upper house of Congress. She has a big advantage, as Democrats outnumber Republicans in Maryland by a three-to-one ratio.

She I sat down with FOX 5 after winning the primary. She says she believes this race will hinge on women’s health care and abortion rights, adding that she wants a campaign that focuses on issues that voters care about.

Hogan’s campaign also issued a statement to FOX 5 on Sunday, saying, “It is deeply disturbing that Angela Alsobrooks believes the law does not apply to her. She is campaigning on raising taxes while paying none of her own and taking advantage of tax breaks reserved for the poor and elderly. She claims to be unaware of tax laws that it was her duty to enforce. Governor Hogan has always stood up for taxpayers and will continue to fight for fairness and fiscal responsibility in the Senate.”

The general election will be held on Tuesday 5 November 2024.