Tax exemption claims raise questions

By Charles Sercombe
The race is set for the city council election.
Last Friday was the deadline for council candidates who had second thoughts to drop out of the Aug. 4 election. None of the nine candidates withdrew.
The current incumbent candidates seeking re-election to council are: Councilmembers Anam Miah, Abu Musa and Robert Zwolak.
Their challengers include former City Councilmember Cathie Gordon, Susan Dunn, Saad Almasmari, Frank Woodman, Monzurul Karim and Mohamed Alsomiri.
At least two candidates have an issue with residency claims, based on information available through the online site for the Wayne County Treasury Department and a subscription-required real estate data base operated by Realcomp, whose records are more up to date than Wayne County property records.
The Review discovered that candidate Karim owns a house at 11440 Sobieski where he claims a 100-percent Homestead tax exemption.
The exemption means he is claiming that address as his primary residence. According to Realcomp, Karim bought the house in August 2014.
However, Karim’s candidate affidavit says he lives at 2400 Carpenter.
Karim confirmed that information in a telephone interview with The Review. He said he “forgot” to change the Homestead tax exemption, and that he plans to move into the Sobieski house by June.
Candidate Almasmari is facing foreclosure for the house he owns at 2267 Faber, according to Wayne County Treasury records. He owes over $1,600. He is claiming a 100-percent Homestead tax exemption at this property.
While he is claiming a Homestead tax exemption at that address, he is claiming 2261 Faber as his official residence, according to the candidate affidavit form he filed with the Hamtramck City Clerk’s Office.
Almasmari also owns one other property at 2272 Faber.
According to the county treasurer, $124.97 is owed in back taxes at 2272 Faber. Almasmari is not claiming a Homestead tax exemption for this property.
Almasmari confirmed that information with The Review. He said his primary residence is at 2261 Faber where his wife lives.
According to Wayne County Treasurer’s records, Councilmember Abu Musa was behind over $4,000 in property taxes for his house at 11632 Gallagher. He settled that bill shortly before filing for re-election.
According to the City Charter, elected officials can be kicked out of office for being a “defaulter” to the city or any other government body.
Musa’s residency also came into question when he was elected. He claims to live full-time in Hamtramck while his wife owns and lives in a house in Warren, according to Warren property records.
The question of residency claims has also spilled over to the Hamtramck School Board where Boardmember Mohammad Huda is being asked to prove he lives in Hamtramck.
School officials say they have discovered evidence that he does not live here. At the time he was elected, The Review investigated Huda’s residency claim and through Warren property records found out that he was claiming a 100-percent Homestead tax exemption for a house he owns in Warren.
According to Warren property records he has since rescinded that exemption.