Thanks to the AJC for this story…
The Cobb County tax commissioner is preparing to revoke one of two homestead exemptions a Marietta city councilman and his wife obtained on adjoining homes — and then bill the wife for four years of back taxes.
State law allows only one homestead exemption per married couple.
Tax Commissioner Gail Downing said Wednesday that Marietta Councilman Philip M. Goldstein’s wife, Elise, will be billed for roughly $2,000 of real estate taxes that should have been paid on her townhouse at 21 Powers Ferry Manor in Marietta.
Elise Goldstein applied for the exemption on her home in 2003, public records show. The councilman applied for a homestead exemption four years earlier for his house next door at 31 Powers Ferry Manor.
Elise Goldstein did not return telephone calls to her home Wednesday. Goldstein said he wasn’t aware state law allows only one homestead exemption per couple.
“I have talked with the tax commissioner and I am waiting for her to tell me what is due,” said Goldstein, an attorney and real estate manager who has served on Marietta’s City Council for 27 years and owns many properties in the area.
The Marietta Daily Journal reported the couple’s dual exemptions Tuesday.
State law requires people to occupy the homes for which they get homestead exemptions. Goldstein said he lives in the townhouse at 31 Powers Ferry Manor. It is connected by a passageway to his wife’s home at 21 Powers Ferry Manor, Goldstein said. He declined to say where she lives.
In her application for her tax break, Goldstein’s wife said she bought her house for $125,000 and moved into it in November 2002. Goldstein bought his home for $90,000 and moved into it in July 1998, according to his application for the tax break. The two have been married since 1990, Goldstein said.
Downing said she would submit her plan to eliminate the exemption for Goldstein’s wife to the Cobb County Board of Tax Assessors for approval early next month.
“He has called several times,” Downing said of Goldstein. “He is very anxious to pay his taxes, he says. He says it was completely innocent. … He asked me to educate him, so I gave him a copy of the law.”
5 Comments
Why am I not surprised? Goldstein gets away with near murder when it comes to Marietta.
When is he going to fix up the two run-down store fronts on the Square, near the Strand? Hmmm?
Hey Mama, please define ‘near murder.’
By the way, he is fixing up the Cubertson building. Get your facts right.
Sorry, that should be Cuthbertson.
Phillip Goldstein might as well be a slum lord .I am former employee at one of Phillip Golstein buildings located at 1462 Roswell rd (East Marietta Shopping Center) My employer made many complaints to Goldstein in regards to problems with roof leaking ,HVAC not working and many sewage problems ,which now has created Toxic Black Mold.Someone had brought and Industrial Hygienist in the building which was verified High levels of Stachybotrys ,Ulocladium,aspergillus,pennicillium as well as several other types of mold and that is all the hygienist was testing for.As I have read several websites regarding the problems in the building ,I am glad I am no longer employed there.It is to my understanding that many employees are now out of work due to severe medicals problems that several Doctors have linked to the mold found in the building.When I was there Osha came into building and fined the employer.As well as a letter from the the Lieutenant Commander of the US Department of Health and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health demanding that problems in the building needed to fixed ASAP along with Proper Mold Remediation information.Many people have fell seriously ill due to Phillip Goldstein , neglecting the proper upkeep on his building….ex.roof leaking ,raw sewage flooding floors and improper maintenance of the HVAC unit has clearly caused the Black Mold issue.Goldstein is a Lawyer,City Counsilman and he does not know the Laws ,how does that not surprise me!!!!!!!
The homestead application clearly states that only one exemption is allowed per married couple. I checked on this when because my husband and I own 2 homes. One would think that an attorney would have better sense than that. If only she had filed first we could have a good case to remove him from office and seek possible disbarment