Dear Friend, 

Many of you have probably read in the paper or seen on the nightly news stories about Geraldine Tyler, a 94-year-old grandmother from Minneapolis, who had her home equity stolen by Hennepin County. Last week, the United States Supreme Court weighed in on her case and delivered a major victory in defense of Americans’ property rights.

In 2010, rising crime forced Ms. Tyler from the one-bedroom condominium she owned in Minneapolis. Once Tyler had moved to a safer area, the property taxes on her condo began to pile up, amounting to a $2,300 debt. By 2015, the total amount owed to Hennepin County has ballooned to $15,000 with penalties and fees.

To remedy her tax debt, Hennepin County seized and sold her condo. However, instead of only keeping the amount owed and refunding the sale surplus, Hennepin County kept the entire $40,000 earned from the sale, robbing her of the $25,000 difference in her tax obligations. Ms. Tyler sued the county, arguing that these actions violated her constitutional rights.

In March, we led the entire Minnesota Republican delegation supporting Ms. Tyler’s case in an Amicus Brief to the U.S. Supreme Court. the Hennepin County District Court and Eighth Circuit Court ruled in favor of Hennepin County, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled in Ms. Tyler’s favor. This decision will allow Ms. Tyler to return to a lower court to seek compensation from the state and effectively strikes down the laws that have allowed for this type of home equity theft in the past.

Despite the law’s guarantee of just compensation for our property, more than 1,200 Minnesota families have had their home equity stolen by state property seizures like the one Ms. Tyler experienced. We were proud to stand against this unconstitutional infringement and are thrilled with the Supreme Court’s decision.

Sincerely,