I selected the article from MSNBC. Let's focus on Van Flein's response:
Palin's attorney, Thomas Van Flein, said it is not the responsibility of property owners to report structures that go up on their land."It is the borough's job," he said in an e-mail. "The property taxes on this parcel are fully paid and have never been delinquent."
Nobody said the Palins were delinquent in paying the taxes based on the existing assessment of the value of the property. They were delinquent in not informing the borough about the building of the structures and accepted the valuation of $0.00 for years, knowing that they were worth considerably more than that.
Dave Dunivan, the assessor for the Matanuska-Susitna Borough, said owners are required by state law to report any omissions or errors in their tax assessments.
At least one of the cabins was built in 2006, very likely during the summer. Sarah Palin took her oath to serve as governor of the state of Alaska in December 2006. She represented the state and one would presume part of her job would be to ensure that state laws are upheld.
Is her attorney really twisting state law in defending his client? Van Flein said the exact opposite of what state law requirements are in this case. The least one could expect from the highest state official is that she would obey the laws of that state.
One would also expect her lawyer to inform himself a bit better about the law before making erroneous statements.
AS 29.45.180(a) requires the taxpayer who receives an assessment notice to advise the assessor of errors or omissions in the assessment of property.
As we have all realized by now, laws apply to other people, not to Sarah Palin and her family...
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We have just received word that this story has now reached the international media as well. It's everywhere!
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