This California congressman has a history of late property tax payments. What he says about it
Rep. Ami Bera paid Sacramento County taxes on five local properties late in recent years, and had to pay thousands of dollars in penalties.
“Like many busy American families, my wife and I have inadvertently missed deadlines paying our property tax,” the Sacramento Democrat told The Bee last week. “As soon as we realized we were late, we paid our taxes in full, including any late fees.”
Sacramento County property taxes are due in two installments, on December 10 and April 10 of each year. Failure to pay on time means a 10% penalty on each delinquent installment, plus a $20 service charge if the April payment is late.
Bera, a Democrat who has represented the Sacramento area in Congress since 2013, has paid a total of $3,671 in penalties for late payment, according to Sacramento County tax records.
He paid taxes late on bills due in 2014, 2016 and 2018 on properties he jointly owns with his wife on P Street, 39th Street, 32nd Street, V Street and 36th Street.
He also paid his 2011 tax bill late on the V Street property. And he paid 2018 and 2020 bills late for a property in Elk Grove.
The Sacramento County tax website says Bera was late paying his April 2021 taxes on the five Sacramento properties, but that’s incorrect.
Bera paid all 2021 taxes by the mid-April deadline. For a technical reason, the payments had to be entered into the county system manually and thus are showing up as paid late, said county spokeswoman Kimberly Nava.
But they were on time.
Bera’s most recent congressional financial disclosure form, filed in August 2020, lists him as having joint ownership of nine local rental properties. Bera, a Democrat, has represented the Sacramento area in Congress since 2013.
The disclosure form shows that the value of all the properties is between $2.5 million and $5 million. Rental income from the properties in 2019 was estimated at between $135,009 and $500,000. The salary for most congressmen is $174,000.
The Bee examined Sacramento County tax records. Under the “paid date” column, the department notes that dates listed are the dates the payment was “posted to the property tax bill. This may not be the exact date your payment was made to the County.”
Bera’s tax records
▪ V Street property. In 2018, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 21 and paid a $215.09 penalty.
In 2017, he was recorded as paying his December 10, 2016 bill on March 17 and paid a $195.20 penalty.
In 2014, he was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 31 and paid a $188.95 penalty.
In 2012, he was listed as paying his December 10, 2011 bill on February 29 and paid a $160.15 penalty.
▪ P Street property. In 2018, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 21 and paid a $417.24 penalty.
In 2017, Bera was listed as paying his December 10, 2016 bill on March 17 and paid a $346.39 penalty.
In 2014, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 31 and paid a $288.77 penalty.
▪ 39th Street property. In 2018, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 21 and paid a $155.44 penalty.
In 2017, Bera was listed as paying his December 10, 2016 bill on March 17 and paid a $122.71 penalty.
In 2014, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 31 and paid a $102.65 penalty.
▪ 36th Street property. In 2018, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 21 and paid a $171.97 penalty.
In 2017, Bera was listed as paying his December 10, 2016 bill on March 17 and paid a $152.06 penalty.
In 2014, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 31 and paid a $150.35 penalty.
▪ 32nd Street property. In 2018, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 21 and paid a $176.39 penalty.
In 2017, Bera was listed as paying his December 10, 2016 bill on March 17 and paid a $156.33 penalty.
In 2014, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 31 and paid a $150.66 penalty.
▪ Pirate Point Court, Elk Grove. In 2020, Bera was listed as paying his April 10 bill on May 31 and paid a $274.06 penalty.
In 2018, Bera was listed as paying his December 10 bill on December 31 and paid a $247.04 penalty.
Republicans see the congressman as vulnerable next year, and blasted his tax payment record.
“Tax delinquent Ami Bera is a hypocrite who raises taxes on his constituents, but can’t even pay his own on time,” said Torunn Sinclair, national press secretary for the National Republican Campaign Committee.
Among the taxes she cited were the Social Security 2100 Act, proposed in 2019 by House Democrats. It would have slightly increased Social Security taxes to help stabilize the system’s trust fund, but also provided an increase in benefits and a tax cut for lower income beneficiaries.
Bera first won his seat in 2012 in a tight race against Rep. Dan Lungren, a Republican. He won re-election in 2020 with 56.6% of the vote.
This story was originally published June 8, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
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