This article was originally published by NC Local
Amidst her service on the Asheville City Council, Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley has been documented as claiming tax benefits in Georgia, a privilege reserved solely for state residents. This revelation comes from public records that show she has been registered to vote in Asheville for the last seven years.
An investigation by NC Local into Mosley’s residency revealed her voting registration at 3 Devonshire Place in Asheville’s Kenilworth neighborhood. Since 2012, she has consistently participated in Buncombe County elections, as confirmed by NC Board of Elections records.
Property records in Buncombe County identify Mosley as a co-tenant of the Devonshire Place home with her late father, the Rev. Charles Ronald Mosley, beginning in 2007. Mosley took full ownership of the property in 2021, just before her father’s passing.
Her 2020 application to join City Council listed the same address, leading to her selection to fill a vacancy left by Vijay Kapoor’s departure. Elected again in 2022, Mosley secured second place in a six-candidate race and was later appointed as vice mayor in 2024.
However, Mosley also owns a residence at 1168 Warfield St. NW in Atlanta. Fulton County records show she bought this property in 2001, and since 2018, has claimed a homestead exemption there, according to tax records.
This exemption, as per Georgia state law, should only be for homes “actually occupied as the permanent residence.” It lowers the home’s taxable value by at least $30,000.
In response to inquiries, Mosley clarified via email that her main residence is in Asheville. She stated, “I purchased my Atlanta property in 2001 and became eligible for the homestead exemption at that time. In Georgia, the exemption automatically renews each year. I remain focused on serving the people of Asheville and look forward to continuing that work.”
The “floating exemption” in Georgia increases the tax break’s value with rising property assessments, leading to exemptions of $118,714 for Atlanta city taxes and $99,195 for Fulton county taxes. This results in a tax reduction of about $3,150 for the current year.
Mosley did not address further questions about Georgia’s occupancy requirement for the exemption or specify when she became an Asheville resident full-time. She is currently employed as an attorney at Alston & Bird in Atlanta.
Eligibility Requirements for North Carolina Officeholders
According to North Carolina state law, elected officials must comply with constitutional stipulations. The Constitution mandates that candidates must be qualified voters for the office they seek.
The North Carolina State Board of Elections requires candidates to be registered voters eligible for the office’s election.
Asheville’s city code similarly requires council members and officers elected under the charter to be qualified Asheville electors.
Mosley confirmed via email to NC Local that she verified her eligibility with Jake Quinn from the Buncombe County Board of Elections.
Kassi Day, a Buncombe County spokesperson, stated that “Buncombe County Election Services does not have awareness of this issue and no challenges/complaints have been filed.”
All six of Mosley’s Council colleagues were contacted by NC Local regarding the Atlanta residence. Only Council member Kim Roney responded, stating the information was new to her.
Asheville City Attorney Brad Branham remarked, “The information you shared is only now coming to my attention, and I’m unaware of any prior knowledge of these matters within city staff.” He added, “At this time, I do not believe I have sufficient information to draw any legal conclusions. In addition, it would be premature to speak further on the issue until the council member has had an opportunity to address the allegations. However, the city will closely monitor the issue.”
This story will be updated.
This story was originally published by NC Local, a nonprofit newsroom delivering public service journalism about statewide issues.
