Tax records on file with the city of Birmingham show Ann Arbor school board Treasurer Randy Friedman did not file for a primary residential property exemption when he bought a house in the Oakland County city earlier this year.
The records, sent to AnnArbor.com from Friedman’s attorney this afternoon, show the previous owner filed a form revoking the primary residence exemption after selling the house.
Additional records, also sent to AnnArbor.com by Friedman’s attorney, indicate the property is currently listed without a primary residential tax exemption.
Ann Arbor school board Treasurer Randy Friedman
The issue came to light Wednesday when AnnArbor.com reported Friedman purchased a home in Birmingham and was sending his four school-age children to Detroit Country Day school. Friedman also owns a home in Ann Arbor and said that's his primary residence.
“Mr. Friedman and his wife closed on the purchase of the Birmingham home on July 30, 2009,” Stephen E. Glazek with Barris, Sott, Denn & Driker, wrote in a letter to AnnArbor.com. “On Aug. 4, 2009, the seller of the Birmingham home filed a 'Request to Rescind Homeowners Principal Residence Exemption,' a copy of which is attached. Mr. Friedman and his wife did not file a new PRE and for the year 2010 there is no PRE (Principal Residence Exemption Affidavit) exemption.
“This is demonstrated by the attached Birmingham City assessor’s office record, which shows the exemption being rescinded on August 5, 2009 and shows that for the year 2010, the PRE exemption is ‘O.’
Birmingham city officials confirmed today the records are accurate.
However, in calls last week, an employee in the Birmingham assessor’s office directed  AnnArbor.com to search Oakland County’s land property Web site for the land records and said those records were accurate.
Those listings said the personal exemption was in place for the property owned by Friedman.
Glazek addressed that in his letter.
“If a PRE is filed on or before May 1st in the year of the claim, the exemption is valid until December 31 of the year in which the property is transferred. In other words, the property will maintain its homestead exemption though December 31.”
Friedman bought the house to cut down on the commute between Ann Arbor and the Oakland County private school where all his school-age children now attend.
Friedman has declined to say how many nights a week he spends at his Birmingham house.Â
David Jesse covers K-12 education for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at davidjesse@annarbor.com or 734-623-2534.
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