Oregon's former first lady Cylvia Hayes lists at least $339,000 in mortgage, credit card and other debts, according the latest filing in her bankruptcy case.
She declared assets of $234,000, most of which is the value of her Bend home, but reported having just $10 in cash on hand.
The documents filed Monday outline how Hayes has struggled to stay solvent since former Gov. John Kitzhaber resigned in early 2015. Gifts from friends and family helped pay her bills, as her green energy consulting business 3E Strategies floundered with annual gross income of less than $20,000. Things improved in the first half of this year, with Hayes projecting her business will bring in $38,000 in 2018.
Her largest debt is the $150,000 she owes on her first and second home mortgages, followed by the $125,000 in legal fees she owes The Oregonian/OregonLive as a result of a public records lawsuit she filed to block the media company's request for her emails.
After Kitzhaber decided to seek a fourth term as governor, he said he would cover Hayes' expenses amid concerns over the blurred lines between her paid work consulting for groups interested in state green energy policies and Hayes' unpaid but official position advising the governor on the same issues.
The issue continued to dog the couple, and Kitzhaber resigned five weeks after being sworn in. The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has yet to assess penalties after it found earlier this year that Hayes violated state laws, including a prohibition against public officials using their positions for personal gain. The maximum penalty would be $110,000.
Hayes' biggest asset is her house, with an estimated value of $220,000. She also owns her Toyota Prius, a variety of household items, $3,000 in her business and personal accounts and a 401(k) retirement plan worth approximately $3,800, according to the filing.
The bankruptcy filing makes no mention of any debt she might owe to friends who put up money to help Hayes purchase her home, an arrangement reported by Willamette Week. Kitzhaber bought out one of the investors years ago.
Her listed debts include:
- Mortgages totaling $150,000
- Credit card debt of more than $45,000
- A $10,000 debt to American Express described as a loan
- Medical debt of at least $5,800
- An unspecified debt to the law firm Stoel Rives LLC
- The $125,000 in legal fees owed to The Oregonian/Oregonlive under a court judgment, after she sued the newspaper to block the release of her emails. "Debtor believes the amount should be $0," Hayes' lawyer wrote.
- Potential fines to the Oregon Government Ethics Commission
Hayes listed $19,000 in gross business income for the first six months of this year, up from $18,000 last year and $13,000 in 2016. She also received $6,200 in gifts from friends and family this year, $18,500 last year and $21,000 in 2016, according to the court document. She drew money from a retirement fund, although the annual distribution was less than $4,000.
-- Hillary Borrud
503-294-4034; @hborrud