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State Representatives Gene Seaman, Rob Eissler and Vicki Truitt, as well as State Senator Kim Brimer appear to be involved in potentially illegal (case by case) schemes- using campaign funds to pay for Austin area properties.
Each of these "Rent to Own Republicans" employs a different method to skirt the law, but it is evident in each case that the practice of using a spouse as a funnel to convert campaign contributions into mortgage payments or condo dues is simply improper. While Texas families are working hard to make their house payment every month, these Republicans are buying luxury condos courtesy of their special interest contributors.
Because Gene Seaman is the only one of these folks who has a competitive challenger (or even an opponent), let's focus on his tale which the Corpus Christi Caller Times has already picked up on.
State Rep. Gene Seaman used campaign contributions to pay his wife $44,000 since at least 2002 for an Austin condominium that he sometimes occupies. He also used at least $19,500 in contributions to pay condo fees during the same period.
Seaman's campaign finance reports indicate that he has paid $1,000 a month rent for a condo at the Towers of Town Lake, a waterfront high-rise complex with a view of Town Lake and downtown Austin, for the past several years. The same reports indicate he paid roughly $500 in additional condo association/homeowner association fees each month.
The rent checks, according to Seaman's finance reports, were made out to Austin Land Co., which is listed at the same address as the condo he is renting. Yet as of Friday afternoon, there was no Austin Land Co. with offices at that address, and the Texas Secretary of State did not have a record of a company by that name currently operating in the state.
Instead, the money has been going to Seaman's wife, Ellen, who is listed on Travis County tax rolls as the sole owner of the condo, Seaman's spokesman Mac McCall said.
BOR has gotten ahold of these materials and you can view them online. Click the links below to view...
1) Seaman's TEC Reports- rent & assoc. dues paid to non-existent Austin Land Co.
2) TCAD report listing Ellen Seaman at the address with a Homestead Exemption
3) Picture of the Seaman property
It's an illegal error, appraisal district officials said.
The Austin condo, valued at $234,345 by the Travis County Appraisal District, carries a homestead exemption as well as an over-65 exemption. The couple's Ocean Drive home, valued at $316,369 by the Nueces County Appraisal District, is in Gene Seaman's name and has the same exemptions, which is illegal under Texas law, according to appraisal district officials.
Unless Gene and Ellen Seaman were divorced or legally separated, they could not legally have the two sets of exemptions, said Nueces County Assistant Chief Appraiser Michael Mantz.
I'll follow up with two points.
1) Democrat Juan Garcia is a TexRoots endorsed candidate worthy of your $$ running against Seaman. Donate here, please.
2) There are reasons we should have a Run, Everywhere strategy. There are lightning strikes. Vikki Truitt has no Democratic opponent. Will Brimer have one in 2 years? It's too late for that now, but you can support Juan Garcia.
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