The tax bill was reportedly not paid until The Oregonian contacted her congressional office Wednesday

Democrat Congresswoman Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and her husband failed for more than six months to pay the 2022 property taxes on their auto repair shop in Northeast Portland, according to a report Wednesday by The Oregonian and OregonLive.com.

According to the report, Gluesenkamp Perez, who was elected to represent the Third Congressional District in November, and husband Dean Gluesenkamp owed $6,600 to Multnomah County after a business entity they created missed a Nov. 15 tax deadline for Dean’s Car Care, located at 1506 NE Lombard Street in the Woodlawn neighborhood in northeast Portland.

After The Oregonian contacted Gluesenkamp Perez’s congressional office Wednesday (May 31), the company reportedly paid the entire tax bill of $6,592.18, according to a receipt her office provided to the newspaper.

Gluesenkamp Perez provided The Oregonian a statement. 

“Last fall, my husband and I were focused on running our family business, raising our infant, and the final weeks of an intense, hard-fought election campaign,” Gluesenkamp Perez said in the statement. “After I was declared the winner, I gave up ownership of the property at 1506 NE Lombard. The property tax bill has been paid in full during the tax year in question.”

The Washington State Republican Party (WSRP) provided a statement Wednesday on Gluesenkamp Perez’s tax oversight.

Chairman Caleb Heimlich stated, “Public Servants are held to a higher standard of accountability and transparency, and this incident raises serious concerns about Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s ability to fulfill those responsibilities.”The WSRP statement went on to add: “Rep. Gluesenkamp Perez’s delayed tax payment, which was only resolved after media inquiries, stands in stark contrast to her public statements about the importance of tax compliance. This lack of personal financial responsibility is disconcerting, particularly as she is entrusted with the stewardship of taxpayer dollars in her role as a member of Congress.

“The WSRP firmly believes that the residents of Washington’s 3rd Congressional District deserve representation that aligns words with actions. Voters deserve a representative with integrity and a commitment to fulfill their tax obligations – as any hardworking Washingtonian is expected to do. This incident underscores the need for representatives who live by the standards they set for their constituents.

“We believe in fairness, accountability, and transparency. It’s time we return representation that truly embodies these principles to Washington’s 3rd Congressional District.’’