Tax-Happy Congresswoman Penalized for Tax Delinquency

Ohio Democrat Marcy Kaptur failed to pay property taxes on time on 13 occasions

Patrick Hauf • September 15, 2022 3:00 pm

Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D., Ohio), who faces a tough reelection contest in November, has voted for tax increases throughout her four-decade run in Congress but failed to pay property taxes on time on 13 occasions, according to records obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.

Between 2006 and 2013, Kaptur paid nine penalties to Lucas County for the late tax payments, which she owed on six of her properties. The congresswoman owed delinquent taxes on two occasions: $622.89 in 2013 and $173.87 in 2006.

The Ohio Democrat’s track record of tax delinquency could present an issue on the campaign trail, given Kaptur has pushed for tax hikes even as voters struggle with record-high inflation. She voted to pass the so-called Inflation Reduction Act, which allocates $80 billion to the Internal Revenue Service and will more than double the size of the agency with 87,000 new employees. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office forecasts that the law will cost the middle class $20 billion in new taxes over the next decade.

“The wealthiest have had a good run of things on the backs of workers, families, and seniors,” Kaptur said last month. “By requiring the highest earners to pay their fair share, the Inflation Reduction Act lowers health care and energy costs without raising a single penny on the middle class.”

Kaptur also cosponsored a bill last year that would raise taxes to fund Social Security and endorsed Sen. Bernie Sanders’s (I., Vt.) Medicare for All plan, which would require further tax hikes.

Chris Dalton, communications director for Kaptur, said the congresswoman paid all necessary fees for her late payments.

“Rep. Kaptur was previously late by a few weeks on property taxes, paid the taxes in full along with all associated fees, and is up to date currently,” Dalton told the Free Beacon.

Following Ohio’s redistricting process this year, Kaptur’s once deep-blue district has become a toss-up race, according to the Cook Political Report. News of the Ohio lawmaker’s tax delinquency comes as other Democrats in competitive races, including Rep. Matthew Cartwright (Pa.), Pennsylvania voting rights attorney Chris Deluzio, and Wisconsin Senate candidate Mandela Barnes, have faced criticism on the campaign trail for their record of late tax payments.

Kaptur will face off against Air Force veteran J.R. Majewski, who in May won the district’s Republican primary.