West Virginia Republican John Raese's wealth has been a bit of an issue in his Senate race, because he keeps making it one. Things like his great inherited wealth, paying for positive letters to the editor, driveway paved with pink peach marble, just keep coming up. But so does the question of the location of that peach marble driveway.
Wealthy Republican John Raese's residency is becoming an issue again in his bid for the Senate. Raese, who "owns a steel fabricating business and a limestone company and is part owner of a statewide radio network and Morgantown newspaper," also "owns homes in Florida, West Virginia and Colorado." The Times West Virginian writes, "There is nothing wrong with that. However, as a Senate candidate, the question of where Raese lives means more. Whoever wins the Senate seat in November will have to be a resident of West Virginia the day that person is elected, according to Article I, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution." This also became an issue for Raese in 2006 when he ran for the Senate and in his primary bid this year. During the primary, he said, "I've never been a resident of Florida. I pay taxes and I live here in West Virginia.... My wife isn't running for U.S. Senate. I am."
The taxes issue was raised in a primary debate in which Raese was asked to defend the homestad exemption his wife receives on that Florida home. This was an issue in Raese's previous runs. Back in 2006, Hotline wrote about it.
The Raeses love their home; Liz Raese volunteers at her daughters' school nearby. And for the past several years, Florida law has rewarded their fealty by subtracting $25,000 from their tax assessments -- a homestead exemption that any permanent resident of the state can claim....
Liz Raise, in a 2002 document filed with the property assessor in Palm Beach County, declared Florida as her permanent, primary home. That allowed her to seek and obtain the $25,000 exemption. Other county assessment documents make it clear that both John and Liz Raese are agents of the property. They co-signed a mortgage and their names jointly appear on several documents filed to notify the county about construction work on their property.
A 2005 "notice of commencement" lists Elizabeth and John Raese as the owner of the property. A subsequent entry states that the home is the "personal residence" of the owners. Filed in 2001 when the Raeses added a patio and spa to their home, lists "Mr. and Mrs. John Raese" as the owners, although Liz Raese wrote her name in ink above the typed notation listing both Raeses.
His wife might not be running for Senate, but she lives in her primary residence--outside of the state--which happens to have a mortgage co-signed by Raese, leading to the obvious question of his primary residence. It's also highly unlikely that the generous Florida homestead tax break doesn't end up in the family finances. West Virginians deserve to know where their would-be Senator calls home.