Senate candidate John Fetterman owed thousands in unpaid taxes, records show
Liens totaling $25,000 were filed against Fetterman and nonprofit Braddock Redux
Action News Investigates has learned that Braddock Mayor John Fetterman, a candidate for the U.S. Senate, has a history of unpaid taxes.
Court records show dozens of tax liens filed against Fetterman and an organization he leads.
VIDEO: Watch Paul Van Osdol's report
Fetterman is running for Senate as a Democrat on his record of working to improve Braddock. He has spent thousands of dollars fixing up properties and putting them on the tax rolls.
Over the years, Fetterman and a community group he heads called Braddock Redux have been hit with tax liens totaling $25,000.
Fetterman owned houses in North Braddock until he sold them in the last few years.
Court records reveal liens totaling $11,916 were filed against properties owned by Fetterman.
Fetterman owed the taxes to North Braddock, Allegheny County and the Woodland Hills School District.
Fetterman has paid off all the liens.
"They were never substantial, and it was all involving properties that we either saved and put back on the books or saved for the community," he said.
Braddock Redux owns a former church and other properties. In 2008, Allegheny County sued Braddock Redux for failing to pay $2,376 in taxes and penalties. The suit was settled in 2012 after Braddock Redux appealed the assessment and the county reduced it.
In total, Braddock Redux was hit with $13,214 in tax liens for the church and other properties including rowhouses, a house and a warehouse.
Like Fetterman's personal liens, the Braddock Redux liens have all been paid.
Reporter Paul Van Osdol asked Fetterman why the taxes were not paid when they should have been.
"Actually, the taxes shouldn't have been paid because, as I explained to you on that, that was a mistake, that was a clerical error, and the other taxes just fell through the cracks,” Fetterman said.
The explanation did not satisfy voter Lisa Musta, of Ingram.
"That doesn't sit well. It's not very responsible, especially for somebody in a political position like that," she said. "It's not a good example for other people, and it doesn't sit well with me."
Fetterman has won widespread praise for his community work, even from political opponents.
Political analyst Jerry Shuster, at the University of Pittsburgh, says the liens could become fodder for those opponents if Fetterman starts moving up in the polls.
“I don't think they'll let it alone if he starts to show a stronger focus in terms of winning,” Shuster said.
Records show there have been no tax liens filed against Fetterman's opponents in the Senate primary, Joe Sestak and Katie McGinty.