Candidate explains back taxes situation

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The Gonzales Inquirer has learned of a whisper campaign in Gonzales designed to embarrass mayoral candidate Rob Brown. The rumor mill stated that candidate Brown was in arrears on a few years of property taxes on property he owns.

Once the Inquirer learned of the rumors going around the community, we contacted mayoral candidate Rob Brown about the rumors. Brown was forthright in admitting he did have some arrearages, but then explained how it came about and how he is going to have the issue resolved on or before April 5, 2019.

According to Brown, he owes over $35,000 in back property taxes dating back a couple of years. He has been paying regular interest on many of the arrearages and is actively paying down on one of the properties. The problem arose when Brown made an agreement to sell a couple of parcels of land to an individual who agreed to pay the property taxes on the said properties in question, with the purchase price to be reduced by the amount of taxes paid.

However, the deal eventually fell through and Brown was stuck holding the tax bill.

“I want everyone to know that yes I am in arrears on a few properties, and I am not trying to hide anything. I told everyone I was going to be very transparent in my campaign, and I have been and will continue to be.

“Yes, I do owe back taxes on some property, but I do have a definite plan to pay these off on or before April 5, 2019. I have signed a purchase agreement to sell some land that will not only cover all of the outstanding taxes but clean up everything. When that is done, I hope the same people who are denigrating me behind my back will take notice that the taxes are paid in full.

“Sometimes in business you have to finance some things to keep other things a float. People do it all the time, and I have been negotiating to sell this property for almost two years in order to cover the taxes. We finally got the deal done a few weeks ago, and there is an agreement to close on or before the 5th of April.

”Honestly I wish those who want to tear my campaign down would have just come forward and asked me about it instead of talking behind my back. I have told everyone I would be completely transparent, and I have been and I will be.

“We need to get this town moving again, and I think full disclosure by everyone would be a good thing for this office and for this town. If we took that same amount of energy expended to tear me down and redirect it towards a real effort to collectively find the solutions for our shortcomings, we would be much better off.”

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