Bondi Hires Tax Advisor, Issues Statement

Melissa Bondi, a Democratic candidate for the vacant seat on the Arlington County Board, has issued a statement regarding .

Bondi, 40, owes the IRS more than $19,000, according to a federal tax lien on file with the Arlington County Clerk of the Circuit Court's Office.

She has stated she believes the lien is the result of a misunderstanding or error.

Bondi, too, hasn't registered or paid county taxes on a vehicle since February 2006, though she has said she didn't give up her car until 2008.

In her statement, Bondi said that in that timeframe, her father let her borrow his car as he was near death so she could visit to see him through radiation, chemotherpy and surgery.

Bondi states "blog commentators" first started "attacking" her on these two issues. The blog Arlington Yupette posted a PDF of the tax lien against her and a few paragraphs on Sunday.

"The attacks have been sudden, nasty, highly personal, and intended to derail the excellent work we have done together as a campaign," Bondi stated.

Click here to read her entire statement.

Bondi also stated she has retained the services of a tax advisor "to get to the bottom of" the situation with the IRS and not detract from her campaign.

Regarding her father's car, Bondi stated, "Although I did have use of the car until his death, the car was never owned, insured, nor titled to me."

On Wednesday, Arlington County Treasurer Frank O'Leary -- who is supporting Democratic candidate Terron Sims in the upcoming special election -- told Patch that Bondi may still have been liable for local taxes.

"You cannot just drive around in your father's car, particularly when you're engaged in all kinds of county business," O'Leary said in an interview Wednesday. "If you borrow your father's car and garage it in Arlington County, you register it with the commissioner of revenue and pay the taxes."

Bondi is a civic activist, the project coordinator for the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington and a member of the Arlington Economic Development Commission.

"Let me be clear that I am not, nor will I ever be, a negative campaigner, nor do I want anyone to attack another candidate in my name, nor as a means of defending me. I am sending this to you because I want to be honest about what I know and my supporters deserve to have the full story from me firsthand," Bondi said in her statement.

"While I’m frustrated at having these accusations levied upon me, I am not letting these accusations distract me from the campaign.  I have been bolstered by the many voters I’ve met every day who, like me, are focused on Arlington’s future success, and the goals we can achieve by working together."