Documents show Angela Alsobrooks wrongly claimed property tax deductions in the District of Columbia and Maryland

CNN
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Angela Alsobrooks, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Maryland, unlawfully took advantage of tax breaks she was ineligible for, including a credit for low-income seniors, that allowed her to save thousands of dollars in taxes on two properties she owned in Washington, D.C. and Maryland.

A CNN review of property records and tax accounts found that for both properties, Alsobrooks had for more than a decade claimed a property tax exemption that applied only to an individual’s primary residence, violating state and local tax exemption requirements.

She also wrongly took advantage of a senior citizen tax break on her Washington property, cutting her tax bill in half. Alsobrooks, 53, never qualified for that tax break, but her grandparents, who owned the property before her, likely did.

A senior adviser to Alsobrooks told CNN that she was unaware of the issue and that her lawyers were working with both Washington, D.C., and Prince George’s County, Maryland, to resolve the matter.

Property tax receipts reviewed by CNN show Alsobrooks saved nearly $14,000 in taxes on her northeastern Washington property between 2005 and 2017 by taking advantage of tax breaks designed for primary residents, lower-income residents and seniors.

But she did not live in Washington, according to public records. She has been registered to vote in Prince George’s County since 1995, where she has long been a government official. She is currently the county’s executive director, where she oversees the county’s budget and its tax collection department.

Connor Lounsbury, a senior adviser to Alsobrooks, told CNN that after her grandmother moved out of her Northeast Washington home, Alsobrooks paid the mortgage on the property until it was sold in 2018. “She was unaware of any tax breaks associated with the property and contacted the District of Columbia to resolve the issue and make any necessary payments,” Lounsbury said.

In 2005, Alsobrooks bought a townhouse in Prince George’s County. State records show she applied for and received a property tax exemption for the townhouse in 2008. It’s unclear when, but she eventually began renting out the property — while continuing to use the exemption intended for primary residents.

Although county property tax records for her townhouse only go back to fiscal year 2020, it is estimated that the tax exemption would have saved her at least $2,600 since then.

In 2014, Alsobrooks bought another home in an “equestrian” community in Prince George’s County. She lists the property as her primary residence on the mortgage — but she doesn’t take the property tax exemption there, which, her campaign points out, actually cost her money.

“When Angela bought the new property, the property tax credit from her previous home was not carried over,” Lounsbury said. “It didn’t give Angela any financial benefit. In fact, she ended up paying more in taxes than if the credit had been carried over. However, Angela is trying to repay any credits she received on the old property.”

After winning the Democratic primary earlier this year, Alsobrooks will face Republican Larry Hogan, former Maryland governor, in the race for the Senate seat being vacated by retiring Democrat Ben Cardin.

In most election cycles, the Democratic candidate from deep-blue Maryland would have been a sure thing to win the general election in November. But Hogan’s entry into the race has made the seat up for grabs, intensifying Democrats’ struggle to retain power, given that the party will need to hold on to seven seats in tight races to keep the Senate at 50-50.

The misuse of tax breaks has long plagued politicians running for office — at least politically. In 2023, CNN’s KFile reported that Democratic California Rep. Adam Schiff had simultaneously declared primary residences in California and Maryland, claiming they were classified as such for purposes of the loans. And in 2022, CNN reported that Republican Senate candidate Herschel Walker received a tax break on his Texas home designated as a primary residence despite running for office in Georgia.

Alsobrooks’ campaign pointed out that Hogan also received a tax break on his home in Edgewater, Maryland, in 2016 by living in the governor’s mansion in Annapolis. However, governors and federal employees are exempt from the residency requirement.

Property tax exemptions are designed to protect a fraction of your home’s value from property taxes and apply to primary residences, not rental or investment properties.

Records show Alsobrooks acquired the D.C. property after her grandmother transferred the deed to her in late 2003. Her grandparents likely qualified for the senior citizen tax credit, and Alsobrooks never changed her tax-exempt status.

D.C. law says failure to cancel exemptions that no longer apply to the homeowner can result in “penalties equal to 10% of the back tax and interest accruing monthly at 1.5% until paid in full.” But the county must pursue the money from the homeowner — and the homeowner must cancel the exemptions if circumstances change.

Alsobrooks continues to enjoy a property tax exemption on his Maryland townhouse, even though he no longer lives in it and uses it as a rental property.

It’s unclear when Alsobrooks began renting out the property. State records show she applied for a rental property license in 2021. In her financial disclosures, which were released in August, she disclosed income from residential rental properties ranging from $15,000 to $50,000.

Alsobrooks’ campaign has highlighted her history of advocating for local tax relief. In the summer of 2020, Alsobrooks opposed a county bill that would have raised property taxes to make up for lost revenue during the Covid-19 pandemic. And in 2022, she signed legislation that would have given eligible senior residents a property tax break that would have lasted up to five years.

Alsobrooks has broken barriers throughout her career, becoming the first woman elected state’s attorney in Prince George’s County in 2010 and the first woman to serve as executive director in the suburban Maryland county in 2018.

She overcame a tough primary this year to fill Cardin’s Senate seat. Her wealthy opponent, Rep. David Trone, outspent her by nearly 10 to 1 and poured more than $60 million of his own cash into the race.

Despite Trone’s attacks, Alsobrooks ultimately won by 10 points, as her party wanted her to become the first black woman elected to the Senate from Maryland.

Alsobrooks has sought to nationalize the race against Hogan, a popular former governor who has sought to distance himself from former President Donald Trump. She has tried to capitalize on the state’s strong Democratic leanings by arguing that a Hogan victory would likely mean Republicans regain control of the Senate — and with it the power to set the agenda and approve judicial nominations.

During the election campaign, Alsobrooks advocated for a “fairer tax system” and sharply criticized tax breaks for the wealthiest taxpayers.

“Too many Americans are struggling to get by and are forced to live paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet,” Alsobrooks wrote on X earlier this year. “As your senator, I will fight for a fairer tax system that doesn’t give handouts to the wealthiest 1 percent.”