US News

TAX CHIEF CHARLIE A TAX ‘CHEAT,’ TOO

The Tax Man is a deadbeat.

Rep. Charles Rangel, chairman of the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee, has failed to pay taxes on two plots of land he has in New Jersey, records show.

Rangel’s ownership of the small, undeveloped properties came to light on Tuesday only after he drastically amended at least six years of financial-disclosure forms he had filed annually with the House clerk as required by law.

The corrected filings as much as doubled the amount of personal wealth Rangel has claimed going back years and revealed at least $780,000 in previously unreported assets.

The Harlem Democrat concealed somewhere between $38,902 and $116,800 in 2007 income, according to the revised filings.

Among the assets he failed to list was a checking account containing somewhere between $250,000 and $500,000.

Also undisclosed for years were two lots he owns in Glassboro, NJ, about 100 miles from the city.

Rangel is delinquent on his taxes on that property, according to the Gloucester County Clerk’s office.

He currently owes $159.39 in unpaid property taxes for the second and third quarters of this year, according to the clerk’s office.

Rangel’s second-quarter taxes were due May 1 and his third-quarter taxes were due at the beginning of this month.

Skating on property taxes is nothing new for Rangel.

A review of property records for the borough of Glassboro revealed at least six tax liens levied against Rangel’s property during the past 16 years.

Just last year, two separate liens were levied against both properties owned by Rangel.

The June 5, 2008, liens totaled $339.64.

On Dec. 6, 2001, a tax lien was filed against the property for $125.57 in unpaid taxes.

Rangel’s earliest tax lapse, according to the records still on file, was June 24, 1993, when a tax lien was filed against him for failure to pay $57.53 in property taxes.

In each case, Rangel eventually paid the lien and interest to prevent foreclosure on the properties.

Rangel’s office did not respond to repeated questions yesterday from The Post about his failure to pay taxes.

Meanwhile, Rangel was scheduled to hold a press conference yesterday just as dozens of stories revealed his ongoing ethical woes in Congress.

Rangel canceled the press conference at the last minute, citing “changes in his schedule,” according to one participant.

churt@nypost.com