Published: Wednesday, June 23, 2010
GOP state senate candidate says his tax appeal may attract voters
Republican candidate Dave Schmidt hasn’t paid the property taxes on his Mill Creek condo since 2008 but isn’t worried it’ll cost him with voters in elections this year.
Schmidt, who is trying to regain the state Senate seat he lost in 2006, owed $4,300 in back taxes as of Tuesday.
He plans to appeal the past two years of assessed value for the residence in hopes of getting it lowered and trimming the amount he owes Snohomish County.
“I’m not avoiding it. I’m just going through the process,” he said Tuesday. “I’ll end up paying everything including the penalties.”
Schmidt said he doesn’t think the revelation will hurt him with voters in Mill Creek, Lake Stevens, Snohomish and Marysville, who make up the 44th Legislative District.
It might even help him in his bid to unseat Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens. Republican Ryan Ferrie of Everett and Democrat Lillian Kaufer of Snohomish are also competing in the Aug.17 primary.
“It shows I’m just like a lot of people in the district,” he said. “They will know they have someone in office who has been where they’ve been.”
Schmidt said he’s like so many others hard hit by the recession and battling to keep his home from being foreclosed on.
In 2009, he was in a partnership to build a 32-unit condominium complex in south Everett. When the housing market crashed, so too did the project.
“I lost my business and I lost a ton of money,” he said. It led to a filing of personal bankruptcy in 2009 and the start of an eight-month stint of unemployment, he said. Property taxes went unpaid as did homeowner association dues. He’s now $6,000 in arrears on those.
“Is this something you wish didn’t happen? Of course. Did I see it coming? No,” he said.
He bought the Village Green Drive condo in 2004 and its assessed value climbed from $195,000 in 2006 to $275,000 in 2009 and dropped to $243,000 this year. Prices dropped and the unit has been up for sale the past six months at a price of $185,000 with no takers.
Meanwhile, Schmidt has racked up $4,313.55 in principal, interest and penalties since the start of 2009. Of the total, $3,014.65 is due from last year and $1,298.90 is for the first half of 2010.
The condo’s assessed value of the past two years was way too high, he said.
He has until July 1 to appeal the 2010 tax year. Schmidt failed to file such an appeal in 2009 and is hoping what he turns in next week with the county Board of Equalization can cover both years.
“I forgot to” in 2009, he said. “It is my understanding you can go back and contest them for two years.”
It was not immediately clear if county officials will allow him to do so.
Regardless, Schmidt admitted he doesn’t have the money to begin paying off the tax bill. And he won’t have it until he gets a job – either as a state senator or somewhere else.
“I will set up a payment process,” he said. “I’m going to owe money whether I am in the Legislature or not in the Legislature.”
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
Schmidt, who is trying to regain the state Senate seat he lost in 2006, owed $4,300 in back taxes as of Tuesday.
He plans to appeal the past two years of assessed value for the residence in hopes of getting it lowered and trimming the amount he owes Snohomish County.
“I’m not avoiding it. I’m just going through the process,” he said Tuesday. “I’ll end up paying everything including the penalties.”
Schmidt said he doesn’t think the revelation will hurt him with voters in Mill Creek, Lake Stevens, Snohomish and Marysville, who make up the 44th Legislative District.
It might even help him in his bid to unseat Sen. Steve Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens. Republican Ryan Ferrie of Everett and Democrat Lillian Kaufer of Snohomish are also competing in the Aug.17 primary.
“It shows I’m just like a lot of people in the district,” he said. “They will know they have someone in office who has been where they’ve been.”
Schmidt said he’s like so many others hard hit by the recession and battling to keep his home from being foreclosed on.
In 2009, he was in a partnership to build a 32-unit condominium complex in south Everett. When the housing market crashed, so too did the project.
“I lost my business and I lost a ton of money,” he said. It led to a filing of personal bankruptcy in 2009 and the start of an eight-month stint of unemployment, he said. Property taxes went unpaid as did homeowner association dues. He’s now $6,000 in arrears on those.
“Is this something you wish didn’t happen? Of course. Did I see it coming? No,” he said.
He bought the Village Green Drive condo in 2004 and its assessed value climbed from $195,000 in 2006 to $275,000 in 2009 and dropped to $243,000 this year. Prices dropped and the unit has been up for sale the past six months at a price of $185,000 with no takers.
Meanwhile, Schmidt has racked up $4,313.55 in principal, interest and penalties since the start of 2009. Of the total, $3,014.65 is due from last year and $1,298.90 is for the first half of 2010.
The condo’s assessed value of the past two years was way too high, he said.
He has until July 1 to appeal the 2010 tax year. Schmidt failed to file such an appeal in 2009 and is hoping what he turns in next week with the county Board of Equalization can cover both years.
“I forgot to” in 2009, he said. “It is my understanding you can go back and contest them for two years.”
It was not immediately clear if county officials will allow him to do so.
Regardless, Schmidt admitted he doesn’t have the money to begin paying off the tax bill. And he won’t have it until he gets a job – either as a state senator or somewhere else.
“I will set up a payment process,” he said. “I’m going to owe money whether I am in the Legislature or not in the Legislature.”
Reporter Jerry Cornfield: 360-352-8623; jcornfield@heraldnet.com.
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