a question for wv dems . . .

[ellenfl]

how can john raese run for senator of west virginia when he claims his palm beach residence as his homestead, benefiting from all of the exemptions appurtenant to claiming a florida homestead?

Palm Beach County Property Appraiser

ellen fl

[Staph]

1. I have heard about this in the national press

and on the Internet.

But I am not seeing this covered locally. Even the dependably Democratic Charleston Gazette doesn't seem to have done a story about it since September 17.

[ellenfl]

2. i tried to email this to rm and to the candidate

but cannot find an email addy for either that does not involve me signing up for something. now i'm hearing that manchin is bluer than ben nelson? if true, i'm not sure we need more blue dogs.

ellen fl

[Staph]

3. Trust me, Ellen,

Joe Manchin is about as blue as one can get and still be elected in West Virginia. Pols in WV have to pay lip service to coal, even though coal is an increasingly smaller portion of the state's employers and of the state's tax revenue.

I didn't vote for Joe in the primary. I voted for 96 year old Ken Hechler, former congressman and secretary of state. But I am supporting Manchin, with my vote and my dollars, because the idea of born-with-a-silver-spoon, we-don't-need-a-minimum-wage, my-wife-and-family-live-and-vote-in-Palm-Beach John Raese sitting in the senate seat of Robert C. Byrd is revolting!

[ellenfl]

4. glad to hear this. thanks.

i am a real estate paralegal in palm beach county so i know a little about our homestead law. if raese does not actually live here but homesteads in wv, then, at the least, he is cheating palm beach county taxpayers by claiming homestead and accepting exemptions only applicable to homesteaders. according to how he purchased this property, he has affirmed that the palm beach property IS his homestead.

just wanted to bring this to west virginians' attention.

ellen fl

[elleng]

6. Have you informed WV press? (And other, relevant?) And Manchin?

If not, I suggest you do so.

THANKS!

[Lasher]

7. I have heard that Raese's wife claims Florida residency

while he claims West Virginia residency. So she cannot vote for him in this election but I believe he can vote for himself.

Based on what you know about Florida's homestead law, how might they be exploiting this arrangement?

Edit:

Raese says he is a full time West Virginian and that his daughter has a disability – one he wouldn't discuss -- that forced the family to seek help outside of West Virginia. Liz Raese, John's wife, said their daughter attends a special “Christian-based school because otherwise they'd want to give her Ritalin and other kinds of drugs.” That school is in Palm Beach where Liz and the couple's two daughters spend most of their time. They spend time enough there for Liz Raese to be granted a homestead exemption, available only to permanent residents, on their Florida property taxes. Though, Liz Raese is quick to note that she, like her husband, still votes in West Virginia. The family has a home in Morgantown, which John Raese says is his primary residence – he said he'd release tax information this week proving it -- and Raese can trace his family roots in the state back generations.

http://swampland.blogs.time.com/2010/10/10/is-calling-west-virginians-%E2%80%9Chicky%E2%80%9D-insulting/

So I guess Raese's wife can vote in West Virginia after all, if the above information is true. It seems to me that a permanent resident of Florida shouldn't be able to vote in West Virginia but justice and the law are often inconsistent.

[ellenfl]

8. the palm beach property is in both of their names and appears

to have full homestead. if she was claiming it by herself, she would only get the homestead cap (3% cap on taxable value) on half of the value of the property. the other half would not be subject to the cap. according to the amount of taxes paid on the property, it appears that the cap is on the whole value, meaning he has filed for homestead, as well.

here's the website showing the tax history:

Tax

looks like they filed for homestead in 2001.

here's the property appraiser's site showing taxable value.

PAPA

i lost my full homestead status one year (through my own error) and my taxes went up 16% that year.

of course, the rich live by different rules.

so wv doesn't have any christian schools?

ellen fl

[Lasher]

9. WV has a ton of Christian schools.

And I don't buy that about their daughter's mystery ailment that can't be treated at any WV facility. It was their business until they cited it as a reason for living in Florida. Now we have a right to know what the disease is. This is like saying you know China is about to attack but you can't say more because your information is classified.

Since both he and his wife have filed for homestead status, and therefore (I believe) must have declared themselves residents of Florida, how can Raese even run in a WV elections? He ran for US Senator and Governor, respectively, in 1984 and 1988, then again for US Senate in 2006. Surely this residency question must have come up before now.

Edit: And WV public schools do not force-feed Ritalin or any other drug to children. What a ridiculous assertion.

[ellenfl]

10. i would hope that this question has already been asked.

perhaps you do not have to be a resident of wv to run for the senate? at the very least, he needs to be reported to the palm beach county property appraiser to have his half of the home un-homesteaded. he's not a very honest person to defraud florida taxpayers that way.

ellen fl

[toddwv]

5. So if the Raese's took a permanent residence exemption

Then neither of them can vote in West Virginia elections. To do so would be against the law..right? Yet the are BOTH very active in West Virginia politics through various organizations.

Something smells fishy here...

[Staph]

11. Manchin has a new ad mentioning the Palm Beach residence.

http://www.joemanchinwv.com/news/new-tv-ad-stands-up-to-raese-and-his-special-interest-friends-for-portraying-west-virginians-as-hicks-

It isn't detailed, but I think it gets the point across. Hopefully, he will create some new ads with more on Raese's life in Florida.

[MadAnne]

12. The Constitution covers this

Whoever wins the Senate seat in November will have to be a resident of West Virginia the day that person is elected, according to Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution. That point was confirmed by the West Virginia Secretary of State’s office.