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Hillsborough Election Chief's County Taxes Overdue Again
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Published: April 10, 2008
TAMPA - For the fourth year in a row, Hillsborough County Elections Supervisor Buddy Johnson is late paying county property taxes.
Johnson missed an April 1 deadline to pay $1,682 in 2007 taxes he owes on 20 acres and a small house on Thonotosassa Road near Plant City, according to records at the county tax collector's office. He owns the property through a limited liability corporation he created, Fort Bully LLC.
For the three years prior to that, Johnson either was late or failed to pay property taxes on a house and land he owned at 2815 Cherry Tree Lane in Plant City.
Johnson sold the Cherry Tree Lane property in 2007 and paid $1,122 in past-due taxes plus interest and penalties for the taxes he didn't pay in 2005 and 2006. However, he still owes $2,052 on the property because the county made a calculation error, according to Charlotte Luke, director of tax and license services at the tax collector's office.
Luke said her office notified Johnson in September that he still owed the back taxes, but he did not reply.
"We sent him another letter April 4 those taxes are still due, that he needs to contact us," Luke said.
Johnson, whose annual salary as elections supervisor is more than $130,000, did not return a phone call Wednesday evening seeking comment.
If Johnson does not pay his 2007 tax bill on the Thonotosassa Road property by May 31, a tax certificate on the property can be sold to an investor who can foreclose after two years. He will be assessed a 3 percent late penalty while the tax is overdue plus a $3 advertising fee.
Records show Johnson has two mortgages on the property totaling $920,000.
Last month, Johnson applied for an agricultural, or "greenbelt," exemption on the Thonotosassa Road property that could save him $12,000 on his tax bill. Johnson said he deserves the exemption because he is letting a rancher graze 12 cows on the land. The Hillsborough County Property Appraiser's Office has yet to rule on Johnson's application.
"I followed all the appropriate steps for greenbelt classification," Johnson said at the time. "I want to be treated just like any other taxpayer would be treated, no more, no less."
Johnson also owns a condominium in Sarasota with an assessed value of $450,000.
Johnson, a 55-year-old Republican, is running for re-election this year. Former County Commissioner Phyllis Busansky, a Democrat, is challenging Johnson in the race.
Reporter Mike Salinero can be reached at (813) 259-8303 or msalinero@tampatrib.com
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( Gladiator ) on April 10, 2008 at 6:36 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
So? because he holds a public position and his taxes are late we put him all over the news? Lots of people have greenbelt exemption its to help save the small farmer. Its not illegal. TBO is worried about 1200.00 in property taxes by one person when there are so many out there who owe alot more. Sounds like a smear campaign.
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Posted by ( motorist ) on April 10, 2008 at 7:48 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Have you nothing newsworthy to print????
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Posted by ( davidkc ) on April 10, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Gladiator, Johnson is NOT a small farmer. He bought some property that he wants to redevelop, and he's trying to get out of paying taxes by claiming a "greenbelt exemption" that is not appropriate for his property. The rest of us have to pay taxes, why doesn't Buddy Johnson? He is not above the law.
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Posted by ( ad ) on April 10, 2008 at 8:02 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
and where are the stories about the other people who are late? I think this would be called "selected" mudslinging. The Tampa Tribune is getting good at this.
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Posted by ( Gladiator ) on April 10, 2008 at 8:14 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
David,
He does pay his taxes, he also pays a penalty for being late. Its not a big deal as you and the news people want it to be. Get over it.
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Posted by ( Linker ) on April 10, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
An elected official is held to a higher standard than joe citizen, and rightly so. The Trib has done us a service by bringing this to our attention. I will vote for Phyllis next election.
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Posted by ( Pasco ) on April 10, 2008 at 8:21 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Reading this article I got the impression that they are bringing to our attention that he is a high paid county employee ($130,000+), but he's not paying a minimal tax bill and until now getting away with it. I bet a regular citizen isn't given that much time to pay before they are penalized.
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Posted by ( kirstentil ) on April 10, 2008 at 8:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Because he is an elected official he is held to a higher standard. If he can't manage his own finances how do you expect him to manage the budget of his elected office? Vote him out!
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Posted by ( AW_CPA ) on April 10, 2008 at 10:58 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Maybe Mr. Johnson is just exercising some finacial savvy -- With a 3% penalty and the likey .25% interest that will charged on a tax certificate -- maybe he is making the best use of his money. Can you borrow money for 3.25% from the bank? No, so as long as he pays within the next 2 years - he is essentially getting a low interest loan. Good for him -- if only all our government agencies applied sound financial and investment planning we could get a lot more bang for our taxpayer buck! As for the Greenbelt exemption -- if it is approved by the property appraiser - then the property and its use must meet the legal criteria and any taxpayer that is eligible should follow Mr. Johnson's lead.
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Posted by ( jagaka2 ) on April 10, 2008 at 12:49 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If he struggled like the rest of us, he'd be paying on time. It's the working class that supports these people and the upper class that protects them.
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Posted by ( flnative2 ) on April 10, 2008 at 2:13 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
This is not news. Property taxes always get paid by either the property owner, the mortgage holder, or the person that buys the Tax Certificates. The County will get it's money. I believe the Tax Collector is obligated to publish all delinquent RE taxes. That may take as many as 10 full pages, so what? Stay tuned for the Trib endorsement of Phyllis Buzansky. This is likely just the begining of the smear Buddy Johnson initiative.
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Posted by ( flnative2 ) on April 10, 2008 at 2:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
By the way AW-CPA you cannot really be a CPA as you obviously don't understand Annual Percentage Rate calculations. Furthermore, if or when the Tax Certs are issued, Buddy (or anyone else) will likely be paying double digit interest rates if they redeem the Tax Certs to keep title to the property.
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Posted by ( tarselgland ) on April 10, 2008 at 9:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey gladiater,you have your decimal point in the wrong spot! It's twelve thousand dollars that is owed, not twelve hundred!!! That's quite a substantial difference wouldn't you say!!!
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Posted by ( AW_CPA ) on April 15, 2008 at 2:01 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Flnative2 -- Good catch, I was under the impression that the stated Tax certificate rate was the rate paid by the property owner. That rate is a monthly rate and along with penalties & fees certainly negates my "low interest loan" argument. Next time I will look before I leap. That being said, I still see no issue with Mr. Johnson's proerty tax delinquincy.
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