City Council District 1 candidates explain financial histories
Charleston city council District 1 candidates Angela Black Drake and Marie Delcioppo spent the last weeks leading up to the election explaining their personal financial situations.
Charleston County records show that the IRS filed tax liens against District 1 city council candidate Angela Black Drake in amounts totaling over $900,000. R.J. May of Ivory Tusk Consulting, president of candidate Marie Delcioppo’s campaign advisory group, provided The Daniel Island News and other media outlets with copies of the liens earlier this month.
May said that such documents are relevant as city council members are responsible for handling tens of millions of taxpayer money.
When reached by phone last week, Drake confirmed the liens, saying, “I’m glad it was brought to my attention. That’s the good side.”
Drake explained that she found out over a year and a half ago that her accountant had not filed her tax returns and that she hired new accountants at that time. She was unaware of the liens until media outlets contacted her recently, she said, explaining that she hasn’t lived at the Yeaman’s Hall address to which one of the liens was addressed for almost 10 years. The other liens were addressed to a Charleston post office box.
“I found out about it and was able to address it,” she explained. She said that immediately after learning about the liens from media that she shared the information with her new accountant and tax attorney and that they spent several hours with the IRS representatives late the week before last trying to figure out what happened and what was due. She said that the amount actually due is substantially less than the liens reflect and that all taxes actually due will be paid upon receipt of an IRS tax letter, which she expects to receive this week.
“We know what needs to be paid and it will be paid,” she said, adding, “When there is a situation, you take care of it.”
Drake further said, “What defines character, in my mind, is taking full ownership of your mistakes. As soon I was made aware of this situation, I took full responsibility and resolved it. We all make mistakes. It’s how you handle them that defines you as a person.”
Drake said that she is looking into legal recourse against her former accountant but will not be taking any action until after the election.
Delcioppo had a $21,000 declaratory judgment filed against her in Florida for a credit card debt that dates back to 2010. Delcioppo’s consultant, R.J May, confirmed the judgment via phone on Monday, which was first brought to The Daniel Island News’ attention by campaign advisors for Drake’s campaign. May confirmed that the judgment was entered in Florida after Delcioppo moved back to the Charleston area and that she has since paid that debt off in full. He provided documentation that the judgment was paid and released in 2015.
May also confirmed that Delcioppo owned a home in Mount Pleasant that was foreclosed in 2009. He said Delcioppo was one of millions of Americans to face a foreclosure during the Great Recession. He said that she found herself upside down on her loan-to-home value ratio and that she tried unsuccessfully to sell it. According to Charleston County records, the bank eventually foreclosed on the home in the amount of $221,294.
Delcioppo also released her credit report and offered to have her 2018 tax returns viewed by media outlets. The credit report revealed no issues. Due to the timing of the offer, The Daniel Island News was not able to view the tax returns prior to print.
Editor’s Note: Both campaigns provided additional information about the other candidate’s background that The Daniel Island News was not fully able to confirm prior to print.