REP. YOUNG, TAX DELINQUENT, FACES FORECLOSURE

Exclusive to the readers of milwaukeeworld

©2007

By Michael Horne

Rep. Leon D. Young (D-16^th) is delinquent in the taxes on at least two properties, one of which is in foreclosure. According to records of the Milwaukee city treasurer, Young owes $1,784.97 in 2006 taxes for the duplex at 2222-2224 N. 17^th St., which is assessed at $76,200, and which he claims as his residence. That’s an odd situation for an elected official who makes $47,413 per year, plus $88 for every day he shows up to work in Madison. And, what about the presumptive rent he collects on the lower half of the 3,246 square foot building he bought from YMCA/WAICO for $59,000 on March 8^th, 2000? (In 1998, the structure had been a boarded-up four-family facing a demolition order before the YMCA program rescued it and the assemblyman bought it.) Young also apparently can’t make the tax or mortgage payments on a property at 726 W. Rock Place, in Glendale, a single family building assessed at $219,000 that he bought on January 17, 2003 for $190,000 from the Lloyd Barbee Revocable Trust. He owes $4,794.13 tax on that place.

He is scheduled to appear in Milwaukee County Circuit Court Branch 42 on April 30^th, 2007 in conjunction with the foreclosure action, case number 2007CV001586. That case involves the Glendale property, according to Atty. M. Abigail O’Dess, representing Deutsche Bank, the plaintiff.

Young uses 2224 N. 17^th St., upper, as his voting address, and city records show he voted using that address on February 20^th and April 3^rd this year. But does he really live there?

Court records show the foreclosure summons, dated February 9^th, 2007, was sent to Young at yet another address, 2351. N. Richards St., although it is not quite clear why. That property, a single-family residence also located in the 16^th district, is listed as belonging to Elizabeth Coggs-Jones, Milwaukee County Supervisor for the 10^th district, and a kin to Young.

Her mother, Marcia Coggs, was the first African-American woman in the Wisconsin Legislature, elected in 1976 and serving until 1992, when she announced her retirement just hours before the deadline for candidates to file, leaving the field to -- Leon Young, her nephew, who has been in office since.

The matter of the tax delinquencies would be sufficiently newsworthy for any public official, as would the foreclosure. Whether Young voted from the 17^th street address while actually living in the Richards street home (or Glendale) is also a matter that might be of concern to officials.

Young, as is his custom, has not replied to a detailed message from Milwaukeeworld on this matter.

[Milwaukeeworld was the first to report on Young’s involvement with a failed tavern at 200 E. Washington St., when he owned a 90 per cent interest in Passions. Shortly after our report here two years ago, Passions was the site of gunfire, the place closed down, and the Journal Sentinel finally wrote about it.]