Congressman pays for back taxes

U.S. Rep. Todd Young, R-Ind., paid more than $5,000 in back taxes after it was discovered this past month by Monroe County auditors that he wrongly claimed a homestead credit in 2012.

The issue probably will not have any repercussions for the congressman, who has been representing Indiana since 2011.

According to Indiana law, a homestead deduction can only be taken on a primary residence, not on housing that is rented.

Application for the deduction only needs to happen once and is applied indefinitely as long as the resident is paying property taxes.

According to his campaign staff, Young lived in the house for several years, during which time the homestead deduction was applied properly.

He then moved into a rental home, where he was not paying property taxes.

Because he was not paying property taxes on his new residence, the need to make the change to the homestead deduction was missed, Young’s spokesman, Trevor Foughty, said in an email.

“There was definitely no fraud involved, and there was no trying to dodge paying the taxes,” said Steve Hogan, Monroe County Republican Party chair. “It’s a very common occurrence.”

Unless someone tries to paint an ill-conceived picture of the incidence, Young’s reputation will not be damaged, Hogan said.

Despite not being potentially hazardous to his campaign, Young still issued an apology.

“I accept full responsibility for these embarrassing oversights and have paid all the taxes and fees I owed. I regret the errors and offer no excuses,” Young said in an email.

Catherine Smith, Monroe County treasurer, said the issue is not whether or not Young forgot to pay his taxes, but rather why the issue happens at all.

Smith, a Democrat, also said this should not be an issue at all because of how often it occurs.

Young is also a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, the nation’s chief tax-writing committee.
 
Several members of the committee also had issues with taxes, said Bill Bailey, Young’s opponent in the upcoming general election.

“They’re making the rules but they’re not playing by them,” Bailey said.

Young recently won the Indiana primary election in a landslide vote over competitors Kathy Lowe Heil and Mark Jones.

He is currently seeking reelection against Bailey in the general election this November.