October Surprise for Allen - sold property in May for 2x assessed value to

[Democrat 4 Ever]

campaign contributor. Doesn't this sound a little Duke Cunninghamish?

OCTOBER SURPRISE
LAND SCANDAL

*Allen's Property Tax Assesment in January $589,000

*Allen's Property Sold in May (4 months later) for 1.1 MILLION.

*Property Almost DOUBLES in value in four months!

* Sold to Campaign Contributor

* Other local properties sold for over the assessment price, but NONE that we could find were close to double.


Caught this over at www.leftblogs.com This is a great site to get a roundup of the best progressive/liberal political news broken down by state. This might be nothing but is ver-r-r-r-r-r-ry interesting.

[Mayberry Machiavelli]

1. This is more or less EXACTLY what Cunningham did.

[ShortnFiery]

Webb's people: Have they been informed of the above? n/t

[Democrat 4 Ever]

3. Have no clue if Webb's campaign is aware of this or not. Certainly

hope so. Would love to know who the contributor who bought the house is - ya think he might have gotten some special favors/contracts/ear makrs, etc. from Senator Macaca during this transaction?

[liberal N proud]

13. It should be public record, seller and buyer

The county auditor should have records showing who purchased the house.

[april]

14. you can go to the Tax roll for that community

[valerief]

2. If it smells like caca, then… nt

[elehhhhna]

32. The fancy macaca wall finishes raised its value immensely....plus,

he IS jewish! Good negotiator?

:sarcasm:

[valerief]

33. Oy vey! nt

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. Denny Hastert was probably advising him! n/t

[Lasher]

5. Hold on now

It might be the state's policy to apply a property tax assesment that is less than the appraised value. Could this be the case?

[Atman]

10. I was going to say the same thing

In CT, where property values have gone nutso (starting to drop again, though) this is pretty routine. We just looked at a piece of property over the weekend that was selling for $220,000 dollars, but was assessed by the town nearly $70,000 less. Proportionate to the Allen sale, there isn't much difference. Everyone knows the real estate markets were experiencing "irrational exhuberance." LOTS of people cashed in big if they sold at the right time. As much as I hate to say it, this doesn't sound like excess profit. Selling it to a campaign contributor, though...hmmm...starts to get stinky.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

12. Well it does mention that other property in the same area have

sold for more than their assessed value but nothing like twice the taxable amount. I think the clue here is WHO it was sold to and the timing. Surely Webb's organization will be all over this.

[Lasher]

19. Found something that might help.

Virginia law requires that assessments be uniform and based on 100% of fair market value. For residential properties market value is indicated by valid sales transactions of similar properties. The assessments are effective January 1 of each year, based on sales of similar properties during the preceding 12 to 18 months.

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta/re_home.htm

[ellenfl]

21. jinx, you owe me a coke. lol eom

[Lasher]

24. Ha ha, we even said "Coke" at the same time!

[ellenfl]

30. are you tapping my wavelength? is that legal? lol . . . i think you are

my doppelganger.

ellen fl

[louis-t]

26. That was my thought, too. Here in Michigan it's 50%

of fair market value. Macaca. Macaca.

[Lasher]

29. I think Allen might have stepped in some more macaca though.

Check downthread just a tad. Virginia assessments are 100% of fair market value, based on what other nearby properties have sold for during the last year.

Here in West Virginia our houses are assessed at 60% of fair market value. And they even tax our dogs!

[formercia]

36. That is, unless you're laundering bribe money

then the sky is the limit.

[Justice Is Comin]

23. Yes, but his property was sold to a "campaign contributor."

Ipso fatso, probably a corporate donor who had more than a slight interest in more than the property.

He didn't sell it to Mr and Mrs. Joe Schmo from a Sunday newspaper ad.

[ellenfl]

18. property values

"The Real Estate Division is responsible for the annual assessment of all real property in the County. Virginia law requires that assessments be uniform and based on 100% of fair market value. For residential properties market value is indicated by valid sales transactions of similar properties. The assessments are effective January 1 of each year, based on sales of similar properties during the preceding 12 to 18 months."

from fairfax county property appraiser's site (http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dta/re_home.htm). i don't know what county sen. macaca lives in but this cites state law.

ellen fl

[Lasher]

20. Coke!

[Justice Is Comin]

27. Quid, pro and quo.

Looks to me like check and mate.

[still_one]

6. In spite of all the racist and anti-Jewish nonesense from Allen

he is in a dead heat

No offense, but it doesn't say very complimentary things about many of the people in Virginia, and their feelings on racial equality

[iconoclastic cat]

7. Link, please? I can't find anything on that. nt

[Democrat 4 Ever]

8. I found it as the second listed item as the most clicked at

www.leftblogs.com

The link leads you to the following site -

http://notlarrysabato.typepad.com/doh/2006/10/october_surpris.html

[iconoclastic cat]

17. The comments section refutes it. nt

[in_cog_ni_to]

9. Oh MAN!

I was hoping some garbage on Allen would come out soon! This is IT!

It looks like the Dems have learned to play the repuke's game...they are FINALLY bringing GUNS to the GUN FIGHT! :woohoo::woohoo:

[babylonsister]

11. So where's the nat'l news on this? This could be his downfall

finally.

[Hav]

16. .

Especially since the media obviously likes land deals so much. Otherwise I can't explain all the fuss about Reid.

[AndyA]

15. Send the link to Webb. Make sure his campaign knows about it. n/m

[rodeodance]

22. hope it gets out in the local papers (and say-hey-just like Duke)

[lebkuchen]

25. What is it that Virginias like about racist Allen?

Or have I answered my own question?

[AspenRose]

28. For some reason the financial stuff is not sticking to him like

the racial stuff did.

Maybe because it's not getting as much coverage. :shrug:

But it certainly sounds serious.

[elehhhhna]

31. SNAP! And nominated again!

[Auntie Bush]

34. That was very cunning of him...wasn't it? n/t

[SaveOurDemocracy]

35. Has the home owner/campaign contributor

taken up residence in his/her recently purchased new home? Or will it remain vacant until it's resold (for a loss) after the elections?

[Felinity]

37. It did say "land scandal"

If it was raw land, they might be able to argue that the price was driven up by speculation. Land investment is notoriously risky, by the way.

However, I'd like to know if the property was listed, if so how long was it on the market, and were there any other offers? Also, it would be interesting to know whether any similar parcels were sold in the six months prior or since the sale.

Of course a campaign contributor as buyer makes the whole thing look very very bad (or good, if you'd like to clean up the Macaca in Congress).

[progressoid]

38. HOOOOLD ON PEOPLE. There is no evidence of this actually happening.

Other than a brief and unsubstantiated blog entry, there is nothing here.

We don't even have the whisperings of a staff member.

If someone can come up with the actual assessment papers and/or proof of sale, THEN we would have something.

[Mr Rabble]

39. K & R.