Sunday, June 28, 2009

Representin'

When a politician represents your district, you expect that person to actually live in the district. Well, that's not the case for yet another Democrat in New York. Assemblywoman Ann Marie Carrozza appears to live out of a posh mansion in Glen Head, while she represents constituents in Bayside, Queens.
There was one problem with the pretty picture: Carrozza's $1.8 million home is in tony Glen Head, L.I. - 15 miles from her district in Bayside, Queens.

Carrozza, 42, who has represented the 26th Assembly District since 1997, bought the mansion on Nassau County's Gold Coast in June 2008, taking out a mortgage for $1 million, property records show.

She told the Daily News the lavish digs were supposed to be "an investment or a second residence." But she signed mortgage documents that specifically state the mansion would be her "principal residence."

When confronted outside the posh pad last week, Carrozza admitted she has lived there full-time since February.

"My primary residence is in Bayside - and we're temporarily renting that out," she said.

Carrozza and her doctor husband own four properties in Bayside - two offices, a home where her mother lives and another residence where the lawmaker is registered to vote.

State legislators are allowed to have second homes outside of their districts as long as they maintain a residence in the district, experts said.

"The issue is then, 'How do you define residence,'" said Manhattan election lawyer Henry Berger. "There is a slightly different standard between establishing a residence and maintaining a residence."
Curiously, the Daily News omits the fact she's a Democrat, even as they note that another Democrat, Pedro Espada, faces claims that he's not living in his district either.

The fact is that there's nothing keeping these people from maintaining the appearance of a home in their district while actually living elsewhere. They don't expect any repercussions from their actions either. Have no doubt that Carrozza will likely win reelection without much effort. They can own property there, but don't actually have to live there themselves.

Classy.

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