October 25, 2024
By Brian Hews
La Mirada City Council Candidate Ion Sarega, whose son Andrew abruptly resigned his La Mirada City Council seat to run for Anaheim City Council, has not paid taxes on a property he owns in La Mirada for at least two years, forcing action from the L.A. County Board of Supervisors to authorize the L.A. County Assessor to spend public dollars and sell Sarega’s property at a public auction.
The notice published in the La Mirada Lamplighter on September 20, 27, and October 4, 2024, was the only property listed in the notice.
The notice of default that published in the La Mirada Lamplighter, the adjudicated paper of La Mirada owned by Hews Media Group.
___________________________
The eyesore property is located near the intersection of McComber and Stage Road. According to records, Sarega bought the property in 2019; the assessed value is $232,000, with annual taxes of $3,900.
Sarega’s property in red box.
________________________
According to the assessor’s order called the “Notice of Online Public Auction of Tax-Defaulted Property Subject to the Tax Collector’s Power to Sell,” Sarega owes $8,163 which would indicate he is two years in default.
The property is also encumbered by a weed abatement charge that the buyer must pay.
The weed abatement charges attached to Sarega’s property.
____________________________
The order read, “Whereas, on Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles, State of California, directed the County of Los Angeles Treasurer and Tax Collector to sell certain tax-defaulted properties at the online public auction.”
The subject property’s address for correspondence is a home located at 15335 San Bruno Dr. in La Mirada; according to Orange County Title online records, the owner of the house is Sarega’s son and former La Mirada Councilman, who recently resigned, Andrew Sarega.
That means Andrew Sarega knew the property was in default and did nothing to cure the debt.
OC Title records showing the property belongs to Sarega (top) but the contact address in Andrew Sarega’s which means Andrew Sarega knew the property was in default and did nothing to cure the debt.
___________________
The last part of the notice read, “The real property that is subject to this notice is situated in the County of Los Angeles, State of California, and is described as follows: PUBLIC AUCTION NOTICE OF SALE OF TAX-DEFAULTED PROPERTY SUBJECT TO THE POWER OF SALE AIN 8087-015-018 SAREGA, ION AND ANETA, $8,163.00.”
If the property does not sell during the first online public auction, it will be listed for purchase at subsequent periodic auctions until sold.