Warner tied to late tax payments

U.S. Senate candidate and former Virginia Gov. Mark Warner belonged to partnerships that were delinquent in paying property taxes at least 17 times during the 1990s, amassing more than $3,000 in late fees.

Alexandria tax records show late payments on three properties partially owned by Mr. Warner - a Democrat and self-made multimillionaire vying to replace retiring Republican Sen. John W. Warner, who is not related to him - were made repeatedly between 1992 and 1998.

The ownerswere penalized $3,018 in late fees and $646 in interest as a result of the late payments on properties at 1225 King St., 1229 King St. and 1010 Cameron St. - all in or just off the city’s downtown corridor.

Mr. Warner, governor from 2002 to 2006, officially began his Senate campaign earlier this month. The 53-year-old is widely credited with solving the state’s budget crisis during his governorship, but has been criticized for raising taxes to do so.

Warner spokesman Kevin Hall declined yesterday to comment on the delinquent-tax issue, referring questions to Mr. Warner’s former partner, Murray Bonitt.

Mr. Bonitt, owner of Bonitt Builders Inc. in Alexandria, said the late payments occurred when he owned the properties in partnership with Mr. Warner.

He said that the two men owned the Cameron Street property and that roughly five partners owned the two on King Street. Mr. Bonitt said Mr. Warner was a silent partner who had nothing to do with the late payments and never had sole ownership of the properties.

City of Alexandria records list Mr. Warner as the sole owner of the King Street properties when six late payments were made, but Mr. Bonitt said he thinks that is the result of a clerical error.

“He was completely silent,” Mr. Bonitt said. “We were responsible for doing all the administrative paperwork and, on occasion, the bookkeeper I had at the time would fail to get the tax checks in on time.”

Mark J. Rozell, a professor of public policy at George Mason University, said the late payments likely will have a negligible effect on Mr. Warner’s Senate campaign.

“If this were a pattern, if it involved multiple properties, and he were a first partner directly responsible, I could then imagine an opponent making some political gain over this,” he said. “On the other hand, I don’t think anybody is going to suggest the man was trying to get away with not paying his obligations.”

A spokeswoman for James S. Gilmore III, Mr. Warner’s leading Republican rival, said the late payments showed a double standard held by Mr. Warner.

“It seems kind of hypocritical for a politician who’s worth over $200 million and who insists on raising taxes on the working people of Virginia to take his own time paying taxes,” said Ana M. Gamonal.

Mr. Warner accrued his fortune as a telecommunications executive in the 1990s. He has raised nearly $8 million for his Senate bid, compared with roughly $1 million raised by Mr. Gilmore, also a former Virginia governor.

A personal financial-disclosure report filed with the secretary of the U.S. Senate this year shows Mr. Warner’s worth to be at least $88 million and as much as $390 million. His campaign said his net worth is roughly $200 million.

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