Florida House candidate Parrish pays back taxes on bed-and-breakfast following attack mailer

Florida House candidate Henry Parrish has paid the $18,550.75 he owed for three years of property taxes on the Parrish Grove Inn bed-and-breakfast and personal residence he owns in Cocoa Village.

The issue was the subject of an anti-Parrish mailer sent to voters by an "electioneering communications organization" called Brevard Citizens for Good Government that supports Parrish's opponent in the Florida House District 51 Republican primary, Tyler Sirois. The issue also was the subject of a FLORIDA TODAY story posted online last Thursday.

Previous story:Parrish owes $20,723 in back property taxes, which becomes issue in GOP primary

Parrish, who is the mayor of Cocoa, said he was not aware until earlier this year that the property taxes were not paid for the property at 536 Delannoy Ave. Parrish said he believed a former business associate of his was making the property tax payments during the prior years, but that proved not to be the case. 

"I was made aware of it, and I paid it," Parrish said in an interview Wednesday.

Records requested by FLORIDA TODAY from Brevard County Tax Collector Lisa Cullen show that Parrish paid the taxes on Friday by certified check.

Cullen said records show that "Mr. Parrish also owns two other pieces of property that have delinquent taxes due." According to Cullen:

• Parrish owes a total of $5,289.56 on the property taxes bill sent out in October 2016 and October 2017 on a rental residential property at 110 Center St.
• He owes $2,175.86 on the property tax bill sent out in October 2017 on a residential property at 542 Delannoy Ave.

According to Cullen, a tax delinquency occurs in April of the year following the tax bill being mailed.

Parrish said he plans to pay those bills as well.

More:What you need to know about Brevard County primary elections

More:10 things to know about primary election, as early voting begins

Sirois, Parrish's Aug. 28 primary opponent, is executive director of the State Attorney's Office for the 18th Judicial District that includes Brevard and Seminole counties.

The winner of the GOP primary will face Democrat Mike Blake, a teacher and former mayor of Cocoa, in the Nov. 6 general election.

Florida House District 51 includes all or part of Cape Canaveral, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Merritt Island and Rockledge.

The seat currently is held by Tom Goodson, who cannot seek re-election because of term limits.

The chairperson and treasurer of Brevard Citizens for Good Government is listed on the Florida Division of Elections website as Rob Feltner, who also is director of government affairs and public relations for the Brevard County Property Appraiser's Office. Feltner also loaned $25,000 to Brevard Citizens for Good Government in March.

Brevard Citizens for Good Government has among its major financial backers lobbyist Guy Spearman, who is supporting Sirois' candidacy. Spearman contributed $15,000 to the organization.

Among the other contributors of $1,000 or more apiece, according to reports filed with the Florida Division of Elections, are five law firms and Victory Casino Cruises.

Dave Berman is government editor at FLORIDA TODAY. 

Contact Berman at 321-242-3649

or dberman@floridatoday.com.

Twitter: @bydaveberman

Facebook: /dave.berman.54

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