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Highlands Today

Congressman's Residency Questioned

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By GARY PINNELL

Highlands Today

Published: September 20, 2008

SEBRING - The Palm Beach Post is reporting that U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney moved his voter registration from a Highlands County ranch on Fisheating Creek to a horse barn near Palm Beach Gardens.

Mahoney "is now registered to vote in a horse barn," said an e-mail from Jeff Ostermayer, communications director for Mahoney's Republican opponent, Tom Rooney.

Leslie Pollner-Levey, Mahoney's communications director, issued a statement late Friday afternoon.

"It's obvious that Congressman Mahoney's opponent would rather talk about where someone votes instead of how he would vote in Washington on issues like Social Security privatization, homeowners insurance, and the energy crisis," she said. "Since coming to Florida in 1988, the congressman has owned properties within Florida's 16th Congressional District, where he pays taxes and fulfills state voter registration and homestead requirements. The congressman's 20-year experience with his district and the diversity of its communities makes him uniquely qualified to represent both the rural and suburban constituents that comprise the 16th District."

Records from the Highlands County election office shows Mahoney registered to vote at 355 Castlerock, Venus, on Aug. 7, 2006. Before that, his voting address was 68 Cayman Place, Palm Beach Gardens. Highlands County also has changed the name of the road to Castlebar and Ridge Road.

In May 2007, six months after he was elected to Congress, Mahoney sold his Fisheating Creek ranch. Highlands County Property Appraiser records show he bought the place in March 1993 for $200,000, and sold it on May 10, 2007 for $1.5 million.

Additionally, Mahoney has a homestead exemption on a house in Palm Beach Gardens and describes it as his primary residence. But the address on Mahoney's voter registration is a barn with a small apartment that he owns in the rural Caloosa area west of Palm Beach Gardens. The barn is in the 16th Congressional District that Mahoney represents; the homesteaded house is just outside Mahoney's district, the Palm Beach newspaper reported.

The story was first reported Thursday in the Capitol Hill publication Roll Call.

Palm Beach Property Appraiser Gary Nikolits told the Post he plans to send a letter to Mahoney asking him to clarify his residency.

Rooney told the Post that Mahoney's residency arrangement is "shameful."

Members of Congress are not required by law to live in the districts they represent.

Mahoney was elected in 2006 after Republican Mark Foley, who served 12 years, resigned after he admitted he was gay, and it was discovered he sent sexual to e-mails to underage congressional pages.

Gary Pinnell can be reached at gpinnell@highlandstoday.com or 863-386-5828

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