Hypocritical GOP Candidates Have Tax Lien Sale as Economic Centerpiece

BOHEMIA – A trio of Republican Legislative candidates who have had tax liens filed against them are now seeking to sell tax liens to help pay for their plans to expand Suffolk County government.  The centerpiece of the Republican economicplan is to sell liens on unpaid property taxes to private investors for $65 million in order to pay for their plan to add to the size of Suffolk County government, including plans to add an inspector general's office, add "front line" workers to various agencies and add a "high tech job business coordinator.”  County Executive candidate Angie Carpenter, however, has opposed the tax lien plan in the past and declined to endorse it yesterday—even as she was opening the Republican press conference.

Yet three top Republican Legislative candidates have themselves had liens filed against them:

7th Legislative District candidate John Giannott had a civil judgment filed against him in 2009 in favor of the Teachers Federal Credit Union for an unpaid loan of nearly $22,000, and court records indicate he was nowhere to be found when process servers attempted to serve him three times at his home with the summons and complaint.  In addition, Giannott has over $11,600 in unsatisfied tax liens.

16th Legislative District candidate Deborah Poulos has had two federal tax liens filed against her totaling nearly $45,000 for unpaid taxes every year from 1991 to 1999. In addition, she has also had two state tax warrants filed against her.

18th Legislative District candidate Elizabeth Black had two liens filed against her in 2009 by New York State.

"Considering how many Republican candidates have had liens filed against them, it’s no wonder this is the centerpiece of their economic plan," said Suffolk County Democratic Chairman Rich Schaffer.  "But before Suffolk County starts selling tax liens to the same Wall Street firms that caused the financial mess we're in, has anyone bothered to ask if this is agood deal for the taxpayers?"