Is this the kind of person you'd want as your Treasurer?
Del. Tom Gear, a Hampton Republican, is flirting with a run for city treasurer...[...]
It's a curious turn for a state lawmaker who was dubbed "the deadbeat delegate" by an opponent on the campaign trail in 2005 because of his consistent trouble paying taxes on time. In fact, Gear has had even fresher run-ins - after he bounced a check last December for his personal property and real estate taxes.
Gear is no stranger to tax collectors in Hampton. In 2005, he was chastised for paying personal and business taxes late 19 times during a six-year span. Gear's tax woes didn't stop after he won a House of Delegates race that year - carrying every precinct in the district. He was a few days late making four personal property and business tax payments in December 2005, and he made a handful of delinquent payments in the summer of 2007.
In all, since the summer of 1999 Gear has made about 30 late tax payments.
Yeah, Tom Gear sounds like the perfect candidate for Treasurer. Not convinced? Well, there's always this:
Gear's business background is also checkered. In 1992, he filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on a string of yogurt shops called For Yogurt's Sake. In the late 1990s, Gear-Up Printing got into financial trouble after Gear purchased a new press worth $650,000. Orix Financial Services repossessed the press and sued Gear for more than $333,000.The lawsuit is still active according to civil court records, and Gear said questions about the lawsuit would have to be referred to his attorney.
Very impressive, eh? But wait, there's more!
Multiple sources are telling me that Delegate Tom Gear is under investigation by the State Police. As the rumor goes, Gear reported his car stolen to the police, and it was later discovered in the possession of his bookie. Apparently the car had been used to pay off gambling debts. It's a felony to file a false police report.
Where do these people come from and how on earth do they get elected?!?
Second of all, as a selfish political actor, I'd have no problem with making this guy treasurer of Hampton City. His House seat would open up, and it is totally win-able. We could really use that extra seat.