Republican candidate for City of Salem Mayor Justin Green addressed the latest allegations during Tuesday’s Coffee Club program on WSLM from Washington County Democratic Chairperson Darlene Briscoe.
Last week, Briscoe alleged that Green didn’t live at 509 East Tucker Street.
WSLM met with Green at this location and showed that he did live there.
Now, Briscoe is saying Green “appears to have inadvertently admitted he misrepresented his residency during a tour he provided media last week. Sitting in the spartan living
area of his alleged abode at 509 Tucker St., Green claimed he had never lived primarily at his N. Old State Rd. 56 farm property.”
Briscoe said in a press release issued Monday afternoon that Green claimed a homestead exemption for 6 years on his farm.
“I don’t buy Justin Green’s stunt,” Briscoe, an attorney, wrote in the release. “It’s an attempt to distract from the real issues. Justin Green appears to have either committed tax fraud or isn’t attentive enough to notice he’s been receiving a homestead
exemption for 6 years on a home in which he doesn’t live.” said Briscoe.
Green claimed a homestead exemption on his N. Old St. Rd. 56 property from 2013 to 2019.
In April 2019, he transferred the exemption to his Tucker St. property.
“He did not claim exemptions on both properties at the same time as I previously
said,” says Briscoe.
As part of a regular appearance to talk about City Council business on WSLM’s Coffee Club, Green addressed the issue.
“There was a homestead credit inadvertently placed on a property that shouldn’t have been,” said Green of the Old State Road 56 property.
Green purchased two pieces of property outside of the City of Salem limits as investment property in 2012.
“It was a clerical error. It has been at the courthouse for some time. Not blaming or pointing fingers. It has been fixed. It happened after 2012. Unbeknownst to several people including myself. When it was brought to my attention, I quickly took care of it and got it fixed,” he said. “I have the paperwork to show it was there. Never tried to go down that road. There’s been some finger-pointing that I don’t think is fair.”
Green showed the paperwork in the studio and explained how a box on the homestead exemption form was checked that shouldn’t have been. He showed the incorrect document and the corrected paperwork.
“We all make mistakes,” Green said. “The amount of paperwork and filing that goes through at the courthouse…is monumental. I see how property cards and paper trails can have errors occasionally. It’s a lot to keep up with.”
“It was addressed and it was fixed and we’ve moved on from that,” Green said. “I’m not interested in any sort of negativity. I think our community — any community does better the more positive we are as a whole. Stirring up issues that aren’t relatable isn’t productive. I’m moving forward. The campaign is moving on. I intend to march forward.”
COFFEE CLUB TUESDAY SEPT. 24 – http://mixlr.com/wslmradio/showreel/coffee-club-277/
