Simpson partying down
According to Harrison County tax records, Republican Attorney General candidate Steve Simpson and his wife, Elizabeth, own a residence in Gulfport valued at $377,509. On Aug. 30, 2010, the house was sold for taxes at auction because Simpson failed to pay the nearly $6,000 in 2009 taxes owed on the property. As of Feb. 28, 2011, Simpson owed $5,759 in county, city and school taxes, along with damages and interest from his failure to pay.
According to state law, if a landowner does not pay his property taxes for any given year by the end of August, the land is sold for taxes. (Taxes are due by Feb. 1 of each year.) To redeem the property, the landowner must pay taxes and penalties within two years of the date of the tax sale, or the tax purchaser can claim title to the property.
In Simpson’s case, his house was sold for taxes to a company called FRTL-US2010, LLLP, which is a subsidiary of Farrell-Roeh Liens, LLLP, a firm that buys real property tax liens throughout the country. In addition to the 2009 tax problems, Simpson had not yet paid taxes for 2010 totaling $4,637 as of Feb. 15.
I guess that explains why Simpson held onto his Public Safety Commissioner paycheck as long as he could, Hatch Act or no Hatch Act.