When you’re poor, it can be hard to pay the bills. When you’re rich, it’s hard to keep track of all the bills that need paying. It’s a lesson Cindy McCain learned the hard way when NEWSWEEK raised questions about an overdue property-tax bill on a La Jolla, Calif., property owned by a trust that she oversees. Mrs. McCain is a beer heiress with an estimated $100 million fortune and, along with her husband, she owns at least seven properties, including condos in California and Arizona.

San Diego County officials, it turns out, have been sending out tax notices on the La Jolla property, an oceanfront condo, for four years without receiving a response. County records show the bills, which were mailed to a Phoenix address associated with Mrs. McCain’s trust, were returned by the post office. According to a McCain campaign aide, who requested anonymity when discussing a private matter, an elderly aunt of Mrs. McCain’s lives in the condo, and the bank that manages the trust has not been receiving tax bills on the property. Shortly after NEWSWEEK inquired about the matter, the McCain aide e-mailed a receipt dated Friday, June 27, confirming payment by the trust to San Diego County in the amount of $6,744.42. County officials say the trust still owes an additional $1,742 for this year, an amount that is overdue and will go into default July 1. Told of the outstanding $1,742, the aide said: “The trust has paid all bills shown owing as of today and will pay all other bills due.” — Cindy McCain Pays Back Taxes on San Diego Condo | Newsweek Periscope | Newsweek.com

Now, if Barack Obama had let his taxes go that long, you just know that every Republican and other Conservative Blogger would have their tongues wagging and keyboards everywhere would be smoking from all the writing that would be going on about how he was a tax cheat and how would not be qualified to be President. AmericaBlog puts it quite correctly:

McCain’s friends in the traditional media will surely give him yet another pass on this. And, why not? McCain obviously has some great houses to which he can invite his media pals. But, just for a second, imagine the furor if Barack Obama didn’t pay his property taxes.

Amen. I could not have written it better myself. Of course, when you own 7 different Houses, it is a little hard to keep up.

Others:
The Jed Report, The Other McCain, L.A. Now, TPM Election Central and Brilliant at Breakfast and Others via Mememorandum

Technorati Tags: Politics, Opinion, John McCain, McCain, Taxes, Election 2008, Election ’08