Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks reportedly improperly claimed tax deductions on two properties located in Maryland and Washington, DC, saving her thousands.
A review conducted by CNN found that Alsobrooks, who is running for the U.S. Senate in Maryland against former Gov. Larry Hogan (R-MD), had improperly claimed a homestead tax exemption on her home in northeast Washington, DC, and her townhouse in Prince George’s County.
As a result of improperly claiming the homestead tax exemption, which is meant to help low-income residents and senior citizens, Alsobrooks saved almost $14,000 in taxes between 2005 and 2017, according to the outlet’s review of property tax bills.
“She was unaware of any tax credits attached to that property and has reached out to the District of Columbia to resolve the issue and make any necessary payment,” Connor Lounsbury, a senior adviser for Alsobrooks, explained in a statement to the outlet.
While Alsobrooks did not qualify for the homestead tax exemption on the property in the District of Columbia, her grandparents, who previously owned the property, “likely” qualified, according to CNN.
Lounsbury explained to the outlet that while Alsobrooks’s grandmother moved from the Washington, DC, property, Alsobrooks ended up paying the mortgage until the home was “sold in 2018.”
Alsobrooks ended up purchasing a townhouse in Prince George’s County in 2005, and “applied for and received a homestead exemption” on that property as well, which is estimated to have saved her roughly $2,600, according to the outlet.
In 2005, Alsobrooks bought a townhouse in Prince George’s County. State records show she applied for and received a homestead exemption in 2008 for the townhouse. It’s unclear when, but she eventually began renting out the property — while continuing to take the exemption meant for primary residents.
While county records for her property tax bill on the townhouse go back only as far as fiscal year 2020, it is estimated that the exemption would have saved her at least $2,600 since then.
Lounsbury pointed out that when Alsobrooks purchased her “new property” in 2014 in Prince George’s County, she did not receive a homestead tax exemption.
“When Angela bought her new property, the homestead tax credit from her previous home was not transferred,” Lounsbury explained. “This resulted in no financial gain for Angela. In fact, she ended up paying more in taxes than she would have had the credit transferred over. Nevertheless, Angela is working to repay any credits received on the old property.”
Alsobrooks and Hogan are vying for retiring Sen. Ben Cardin’s (D-MD) seat.