I'm going through all these financial disclosure forms that first time candidates for the General Assembly just filed. It's funny how some of the stories that candidates come up with don't exactly match their financial reports.
Take for example Alfonso Lopez.
On Alfonso's website, he says this (something he also said in his announcement speech and countless other times):
"Alfonso’s father came to this country at the age of 19 with $260 in his pocket and the dream of a better life. He worked as a bus boy and waiter, learned English and started attending school. He graduated from NOVA Community College in 1975. Then he took one class a semester every year until he graduated from George Mason University - one month before Alfonso graduated from high school. His mother devoted her life as a teacher and guidance counselor in Arlington Public Schools to helping immigrant children continue their education after high school. Instilled with his parents values of hard work and success, Alfonso graduated from Vassar College and received his law degree from Tulane University Law School. He was chosen as a 2003 Fellow of the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership at the University of Virginia."
An inspiring story for sure. But then...
I was surprised to see a "Lopez Family Trust" valued at over a quarter million dollars on Alfonso's report. (The state doesn't require disclosure of anything over that amount, so it could be much higher, but is at least $250,000).
Somehow the story isn't quite as good with a Trust Fund thrown in.
Take the median numbers in each of those ranges and he's a millionaire!!!
Posted by: Wow | June 28, 2011 at 05:43 PM
There goes his immigrant sob story.
Posted by: Arturo | June 28, 2011 at 06:03 PM
What's wrong with an immigrant coming to America and making a fortune? Isn't that part of the American Dream? I don't see how this makes his story any less potent. Besides, the guy went to Vassar, that costs serious coin.
Posted by: Harry | June 28, 2011 at 06:40 PM
It's not that hard for even a middle class person to amass a $250K family trust once they're late in life. Throw in a mid-career son who has risen to some rather impressive successes, and $250K really doesn't sound like a silver spoon.
Posted by: Daniel | June 28, 2011 at 07:05 PM
How many families around here have a beach house that grandma and granddad scrimped and save to buy. They want all their kids to share the use of the place every summer.
They put the place into a family trust.
Not really a big deal, Ben.
Posted by: Martin Lomasney | June 28, 2011 at 07:25 PM
I agree Daniel, especially a middle class person in the Washington DC metro area...
Posted by: Doug in Rockville | June 28, 2011 at 07:39 PM
In 1976 Alfonso's parents achieved the American Dream and bought their own home in the Middleridge subdivision near George Mason University for approximately $78,000. Alfonso's parents worked multiple jobs and saved for the future. After 30 years of paying their mortgage his parents owned their home outright.
A few years ago when Alfonso's mother passed away, Alfonso's father sold their family home for about $500,000. After paying taxes on the proceeds of the sale and setting up an apartment for Alfonso's father, Alfonso and his father established a family trust for the remaining funds. The current value of the Lopez Family Trust is approximately $335,000.
Alfonso lives with his wife, Sarah, and their son, Aaron Rafael, in a townhome in the Arlington Village community near Columbia Pike.
Posted by: Alfonso Lopez for Delegate | June 28, 2011 at 08:01 PM
Good answer.
Posted by: Harry | June 28, 2011 at 08:10 PM
Just another limousine Liberal....
Posted by: James Young | June 28, 2011 at 10:07 PM
Ben, you know you could have put that question to Alfonso. He had a good answer and it is perfectly consistent with his narrative.
And James, you think that makes him a limousine liberal -- Have you checked out the cost of living in the DC Metro area lately? Oh right you are an I've got mine GOPer... so you don't give a damn!
Posted by: truthteller | June 28, 2011 at 10:33 PM
Where's the update where you post the Lopez campaign's response along with a statement saying I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions?
Posted by: truthteller | June 28, 2011 at 10:34 PM
Why would anyone believe Alfonso's campaign about this? Also, why would Alfonso take his dad's money if he has his own? Good reporting NLS.
Posted by: Wow | June 28, 2011 at 10:47 PM
The people must invest money carefully. It's because the country have a lot of economic problems.
Posted by: electronic version | June 29, 2011 at 05:43 AM
James is onto something about the limo leftists. The part that Ben misses is that the trust fund is set up to avoid all kinds of taxes (just like Mark Warner and a lot of Hollywood leftists do). I wonder how Mr. Lopez feels about things like increased taxes or paying inheritance taxes.
It follows logically that someone who does not own property and who only understands (sometimes) making money through gambling might create posts like the above.
Posted by: Noticed | June 29, 2011 at 08:15 AM
Trusts have the highest income tax rates (they're used for estate planning purposes, not for tax avoidance), and the estate tax has a $5 million exemption. Nice try, but if you don't understand anything about the tax code, maybe you should keep your mouth shut next time.
Posted by: JLT | June 29, 2011 at 09:11 AM
Yes, Dems were really pushing for elimination of the "death tax" a decade ago.
This is just this week's example of Ben's ready-shoot-aim style of reporting.
Posted by: NotJohnSMosby | June 29, 2011 at 09:41 AM
This is how he behaves, always very loose with the truth. Those of us on the Arlington County Steering Committee with him remember so many examples of this. He's a former Tim Kaine staffer who can't even get 5 members of the legislature to endorse him. They all know him. That says it all.
Posted by: Another Example of Alfonso | June 29, 2011 at 10:12 AM
Ben, you should really update your post with the official comment from the campaign.
Posted by: Captain Obvious | June 29, 2011 at 10:43 AM
AEA: exactly right. Alfonso is also a former "Obama appointee" or whatever he calls it, at the SBA. Then he left (was he pushed out???) to take a lower level position at GSA, which he conveniently leaves out of most of his resumes. Yes, he has several versions of his resume. After he quit GSA, he went back to work as a lobbyist for Alcalde Fay, which is also left out of his current resume. Yet the invite from his friend Andres Tobar reads that he left SBA to run for this position. It's not true. Why did he not include his job at GSA??? And how about his position at Alcalde Fay? This guy has taken years to build up a resume that consists of positions on boards where he didn't lift a finger, local and state Democratic Committee positions where he didn't lift a finger, and who knows what he didn't do at SBA and GSA. I'm tired of his tall tales.
Posted by: Arturo | June 29, 2011 at 11:27 AM
Arturo, Alfonso left SBA in excellent standing and has support from some of his former colleagues! Stop the smearing and innuendos. There are no tall tales to speak of here other than the ones you, Ben and others are making up.... Are you on someone's payroll, because you sure are acting like it?
Posted by: truthteller | June 29, 2011 at 11:02 PM
Ben, STILL WAITING FOR YOU TO FRONT PAGE ALFONSO'S RESPONSE TO YOUR POST....
Posted by: truthteller | June 29, 2011 at 11:03 PM
Hey JLT, I understand a bit about taxation of trusts. However, I am guessing that Alfonso's Dad didn't set up the trust in order to pay more taxes. Trusts are often used to shield assets from creditors, or to protect assets so they don't have to be sold, spent, or taken in case the original owner goes on Medicaid. Again, it still boils down to a "liberal" avoiding giving what he wants everyone else to give to the government.
Posted by: Noticed | June 30, 2011 at 07:53 AM
truthteller is not telling the truth. What is your explanation for his leaving SBA and working for GSA for a short period, and then quitting there and re-joining the lobbying firm where he worked before? These are not inuendos. His position at GSA is in the public record. Inquiring minds want to know.
Posted by: Arturo | June 30, 2011 at 12:08 PM
Actually people move around quite a bit in the federal government. If you have a question for Alfonso, why don't you ask him yourself? What evidence do you have to support your theory, Arturo? Uninformed speculation does not a scandal make....
How would you like it if I went and posted that Arturo, presuming that is your real name is a gossiper and busybody who goes prying through people's resumes and making unsourced allegations based on speculation without even trying to get at the ground truth? I have more basis for saying that about you than you have for hurling accusations Alfonso's way.
Posted by: truthteller | June 30, 2011 at 10:58 PM
Ben, you're totally TALKING OUT OF YOUR ASS. Just because something is titled "Family Trust" doesn't mean it came from his father. It could be his money put in a trust HE titled "Family Trust". If you've never bothered to do estate planning, you wouldn't know that often the lawyer suggests the name of the trust. What's the matter? Aren't self-made Latino immigrants allowed to accumulate $250,000+ in your world view? I don't know this candidate or have a dog in this hunt. I just think you're being a complete jerk.
Posted by: Seriously? | July 01, 2011 at 07:46 AM
Seriously? doesn't know what's going on here. Lopez is using his father's (not his own) immigrant story to gain votes. It's not that immigrants cannot be successful and accumulate wealth. It's just that Lopez uses an immigrant story that's his father's, not his. It doesn't sound so interesting anymore. I came to this country by boat. From Cuba. As a Marielito. My story is a real sob story that includes all sorts of tropical disease from the boat trip, poverty, no food, lots of mosquitoes, and such. Alfonso's is not. His father's is. Too bad I don't live in the 49th, or I would run against him just to see which sob story gets the most votes!
Posted by: Arturo | July 01, 2011 at 07:09 PM
Arturo -- His father fully supports his run and did have it difficult in order to give Alfonso a shot at the American Dream. You sound resentful or jealous and its quite unbecoming!
Posted by: truthteller | July 01, 2011 at 11:29 PM
truthteller: talk to his neighbors and see how popular is!
Posted by: Arturo | July 02, 2011 at 12:34 PM
Arturo, I have absolutely no idea what's going on. But I also know the "Family Trust" is argument is bogus. If you want to say the guy's misrepresenting his background, have at it. But don't do it by using the misrepresentation that a Family Trust must be money that he didn't earn. You're countering a perceived misrepresentation with a very intentional one.
Posted by: Seriously | July 02, 2011 at 01:57 PM
Wait he's latino? How's that? I met him at the blues fest sneaking around the county dem's table. I guess he didn't want to spend $50 of his daddies trust on a table. I had spoken to his opponent earlier and put on one of her stickers. He zeroed in on that and made a bee line to me and instantly started going off on his opponent. He mentioned "she doesn't understand us and latino issues." Don't even get me started on the incredible racism here - it gets better. Yes, I am Puerto Rican. Is that something we have in common? One thing we didn't have in common: Spanish. I asked him what he meant by that comment in Spanish and the dumbfounded blank stare I received back form him was shocking. Some Latino. I bet his father would be embarrassed.
Posted by: Carlos Vasquez | July 02, 2011 at 02:26 PM
The trolling around here against Alfonso is pretty vicious. A) your use of the word sneaking is pretty perjorative -- did Stephanie have a table or are you just holding Alfonso to a different standard?; B) we've already demonstrated that the trust fund issue is absolute trolling -- his parents earned their moderate size trust fund honestly through two parents working hard over 30 years; C)What reason do we have to believe the account as you presented it given as you are dripping negativity throughout?
Posted by: truthteller | July 02, 2011 at 05:17 PM
Arturo, who the hell are you. I know Alfonso and your smears not withstanding he's actually a liked an respected member of the community who was elected chair of Arlington Young Democrats and has the support of virtually all the YDs myself included who were there during his tenure. The organization was incredibly successful during his tenure and the following year. So we like him just fine. If you don't that's your right but don't go tarring and feathering him with unsubstantiated garbage
Posted by: truthteller | July 02, 2011 at 05:20 PM
Carlos, even if your account is to be believed, have you not heard of variations in dialects? My understanding is there is considerable variation between Puerto Rican and South American Spanish. Alfonso's dad is South American. Also, it was a blues festival so it was presumably loud. Obviously you've never not understood something said to you in a loud environment because you are perfect, right?
Posted by: truthteller | July 02, 2011 at 05:23 PM
Oh, come on truthteller, everyone around here knows that Alfonso doesn't speak Spanish. And I know more about him than you think. I advise you to check the records and you will find out that the other candidate bought a booth at blues fest. This is fun! I might just move to the 49th to vote against him! Hahaha!
Posted by: Arturo | July 02, 2011 at 06:37 PM
Arturo, I was at his last campaign event and he actually did a portion of his speech in Spanish. So quit the trolling
Posted by: truthteller | July 03, 2011 at 01:51 AM
truthteller: video, please.
Posted by: Arturo | July 03, 2011 at 08:36 AM
Look I don't carry a camcorder with me. But I sure as heck heard it.
And my understanding is Alfonso was interviewed by Univision recently as well.
You'd probably claim any video I produced for you was doctored anyway given the reflexive hostility you've evidenced for Alfonso, so frankly I'm not really going to sweat it.
Posted by: truthteller | July 03, 2011 at 09:08 AM