Wilmington officials behind on tax, water bills

Wilmington city officials, responsible for setting tax rates and managing budgets, owe money to the city, county and local school systems.

The News Journal reviewed tax records for properties owned by City Council members and city department heads. As of Monday, five council members and one department head had debts totaling over $30,000, those records show.

Councilman Trippi Congo owed the most. Records show a combined $18,902 owed in city, county and school taxes for five properties. His business and stated residence, the Congo Funeral Home at 2317 N. Market St., alone showed $4,341 due to the city and $10,905 due to the Red Clay School District.

The District 2 councilman also neglected to pay federal taxes on that property from 2010 to 2015, resulting in a $31,446 lien in August that was paid off the following month, documents show. The city Finance Department said he has payment plans in place for his overdue bills.

Congo did not respond to a request for comment.

"When the elected officials who vote on these laws owe money, it sends a negative message," said former Councilwoman Maria Cabera. "You’re held to a different standard. You have to lead by example."

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Between two properties, Councilwoman Zanthia Oliver owed the city, county and school system $3,206, public records showed on Monday.

Bills for her Clifford Brown Walk home showed five outstanding water bills totaling $700. For another property on 10th Street, she owed $339 for water bills dating back to 2013, records show.

"My balance is empty with the city as of this minute," Oliver said Tuesday morning, adding that she just left the payment window. "I’ll have to deal with the county another day."

The District 3 representative also has an unresolved federal tax lien for $6,302 in unpaid income taxes from 2004 to 2007, according to documents from the New Castle County Recorder of Deeds.

She said the lien stemmed from "a family issue."

The government has put Oliver on notice in the past.

In April 2013, the state threatened to seize the Clifford Brown Walk property after $1,405 in personal income tax in 2009 and 2010 went unpaid, according to state Division of Revenue records signed by then-Director Patrick Carter, who is now the city's finance director. Oliver satisfied the judgments a few months later, records show.

In 2011, the city filed a writ of monition, or warning, on the property for $713 in unpaid taxes from 2008 to 2010 and $494 in water and sewer charges, court records show. She later paid those bills.

Oliver said her tax troubles shouldn't impact constituents' perception of their representatives.

"We’re still human," she said. "It was an oversight really. I got so much going on."

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Councilman Nnamdi Chukwuocha owes $5,185 in water bills going back to 2015, according to records for a 34th Street property. The District 1 representative said it is a rental property where a tenant wasn't paying their bill. The individual was evicted last year, Chukwuocha said, and he entered into a payment plan with the city.

He declined to comment on his colleagues but said he has always paid his bills.

"I don't owe anything," he said. "You pay what you’re responsible for."

District 6 Councilwoman Yolanda McCoy has three outstanding water bills totaling $311 at her Elm Street home, records show. She did not respond to requests for comment.

Finance Chair Bud Freel missed a recent payment of $185 on his water bill. He said he paid part of an over $500 bill while the city investigated whether he had a leak.

"I do think we should make sure our bills, water and taxes, are paid and paid on time," he said. "We would expect our constituents in the Wilmington community to pay their bills on time, so we should be doing the same."

Water accounts that are not paid by their billing due date are delinquent, according to the city code, unless a payment plan is arranged.

The Mayor's Office said the city allows 180 days to "assess the status of an account, then make a determination whether to issue a 96-hour notice which can lead to water being turned off," said John Rago, the mayor's deputy chief of staff for policy and communications.

Human Resources Director Charlotte Barnes is the only department head who owed back taxes, according to The New Journal's review. Property records show she owed $245 to New Castle County and $2,561 to the Christina School District as of Monday. She said on Tuesday that the balance had been paid.

The News Journal last reviewed bills owed by Wilmington officials in 2015. At that time, seven of 13 council members owed property taxes or had overdue water and sewer bills.

Congo owed the most then too, with $15,167.92 in unpaid property taxes and water bills.

Councilman Bob Williams introduced legislation to require council members and appointed employees to inform the city of debt owed to the city on their annual financial disclosure form.

"If you’re gonna change a fee schedule or place added tax burdens on people, you should be meeting the minimum requirements by paying your own," he said.

Congo filled out his form on March 1. In the section asking about debt, he wrote "N/A."

Contact Christina Jedra at cjedra@delawareonline.com, (302) 324-2837 or on Twitter @ChristinaJedra.

Wilmington officials and how much they owe

The News Journal reviewed how much city leaders owe in city, county and school taxes and their water bills. These are the amounts as of Monday:

Councilman Trippi Congo: $18,902.96

Councilman Nnamdi Chukwuocha: $5,185.70

Councilwoman Zanthia Oliver: $3,206.92

Councilwoman Yolanda McCoy: $311.75

Councilman Bud Freel: $185.97

Human Resources Director Charlotte Barnes: $2,806