Diatribune

McCain Update from www.newsweek.com

When you're poor, it can be hard to pay the bills. When you're rich, it's hard to keep track of all the bills that need paying. It's a lesson Cindy McCain learned the hard way when NEWSWEEK raised questions about an overdue property-tax bill on a La Jolla, Calif., property owned by a trust that she oversees. Mrs. McCain is a beer heiress with an estimated $100 million fortune and, along with her husband, she owns at least seven properties, including condos in California and Arizona.

San Diego County officials, it turns out, have been sending out tax notices on the La Jolla property, an oceanfront condo, for four years without receiving a response. County records show the bills, which were mailed to a Phoenix address associated with Mrs. McCain's trust, were returned by the post office. According to a McCain campaign aide, who requested anonymity when discussing a private matter, 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. Shortly after NEWSWEEK inquired about the matter, the McCain aide e-mailed a receipt dated Friday, June 27, confirming payment by the trust to San Diego County in the amount of $6,744.42. 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. Told of the outstanding $1,742, the aide said: "The trust has paid all bills shown owing as of today and will pay all other bills due."

Dan McAllister, treasurer- tax collector for San Diego County, said that about 3 percent of San Diego's approximately 1 million property owners default on their property taxes each year. The county assesses a 1.5 percent penalty for each month that goes by unpaid and puts houses up for sale after five years. "We do hear an awful lot of excuses for why people don't pay," McAllister said. "Under the law, the property owner is responsible for keeping the address current. We're only as good as the information we are given."

I'll bet this story about the McCains tax evasion gets swept under the rug by the mainstream media. If this was about the Obamas media would would be all over it 24/7.

I don"t really believe we can hold John responsible for the assets that are not his and have no control over. All I know about taxes is that they have to be paid in a timely manner or trouble will ensue. I do know that some taxes help maintain infrastructure. John says that climate change is an issue he cares about and wants to address. I do not know how his wife cares about the issue, if at all. All I can say is that seven residences leave a pretty large carbon footprint. Maintaining utilities on seven houses isn't contributing to the cause and blows off credibility on this issue out of the water. And let's not forget that at least his wife would qualify for Bush tax cuts to the weathy already. And, I'll bet their income is in a tax sheltered account as well. So they are using vast resources and not paying their fair share for them and it's not ecologically friendly. At least pay for what taxes you have, folks.