Heather Curtis
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON (WMAL) – Maryland’s comptroller is calling out the state’s biggest tax evaders by publicly releasing a list with their names.
The 25 businesses and 20 individuals on the list owe the state a combined $12.7 million.
Comptroller Peter Franchot said the public shaming is a last resort after everything else has failed including calls, letters, garnishing wages and filing leans. Over the last 18 years Franchot said his office has collected more than $45 million from delinquent taxpayers whose names appeared on the list, which is part of his Caught in the Web program.
The people and businesses on the list are not defenseless, according to Franchot. They have lawyers and money.
“They can pay. They just don’t want to,” Franchot said.
While the state can’t audit everyone, Franchot said they can’t tolerate people refusing to pay taxes because their actions hurt all Marylanders.
Somerset Mayor Jeff Slavin said most of the state’s smaller municipalities rely heavily on income tax revenues.
“So if they’re not collected, it creates a major impact to our budgets,” Slavin said standing along Franchot at a news conference Wednesday.
The admissions and amusement tax is one example of a local tax collected by the comptroller’s office. The money comes from receipts from admissions at entertainment venues, including nightclubs. It goes to Maryland’s counties, incorporated cities and towns.
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