Don't Mess With Taxes

Remember when Cindy McCain, wife of presumptive GOP presidential candidate John McCain, took a hard line about not disclosing her tax filings?

Of course, that was specifically about revealing her federal tax returns. And, of course, political pressure prevailed and she released a little bit of information.

It now appears that Mrs. McCain had good reason to be leery of opening up her tax life. Newsweek reports that the property tax on a piece of California real estate owned by the McCain trust has gone unpaid for four years.

According to the article in the upcoming July 7-14, 2008, issue, San Diego County officials sent tax notices on the oceanfront condo in La Jolla for four years without receiving a response. The tax bills were mailed to a Phoenix address associated with Mrs. McCain's trust, but were returned by the post office.

A McCain campaign aide, who requested anonymity, told Newsweek that an elderly aunt of Mrs. McCain's lives in the condo, and the bank that manages the trust has not been receiving tax bills on the property. The condo is just one of seven properties the couple owns.

However, after the press inquiry, the McCains took steps to correct the delinquent property tax situation. The McCain trust has now paid, according to Newsweek, San Diego County $6,744.42.

That's a start. But county officials say the trust still owes an additional $1,742 for this year, an amount that is overdue and will go into default July 1.

The San Diego County treasurer told Newsweek that about 3 percent of the county's approximately 1 million property owners default on their property taxes each year. The county assesses a 1.5 percent penalty for each month a property tax bill is unpaid. The houses are put up for sale after five years of unpaid taxes.

Whew! The McCains got in just under the wire! They should send the nosy reporters a thank you note.

In addition to the Newsweek story, you can read more about the McCain property tax debt at TPM, Capitol Hill Blue and The Huffington Post.