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1:40 p.m. CST, November 21, 2010
The Indiana Department of Revenue is going
after businesses that have failed to pay sales and withholding
taxes.
Collectors haven’t had to look very far.
A florist business owned by Republican state Rep. Robert Behning
of Indianapolis, a legislator since 1992, owes taxpayers more than
$30,000.
Berkshire Florist and about 25,000 other Indiana businesses are
on the “cybershame” list of those that owe delinquent taxes and
have been posted on the state’s website since the beginning of the
year, The Indianapolis Star reported Sunday.
It’s the latest tactic by the revenue department to deal with a
rising amount of delinquent business taxes.
Behning said a family member who handled Berkshire Florist’s tax
receipts got sick two years ago and failed to send the state the
taxes the company collected.
“We are working on a repayment plan,” Behning told the
newspaper. “It has been an interesting, eye-opening experience. We
have a reputable business and want to do what’s right.”
Three-quarters of state government tax revenues, or about $10
billion a year, are collected by private businesses in the form of
sales taxes and employee withholding taxes.
The Star said its review of the cybershame list also found it
was very out of date and had many companies that have long since
gone out of business.
Revenue spokeswoman Stephanie McFarland acknowledges the state’s
list is outdated, with some debts listed dating back to the 1960s.
State officials say they have made progress in collecting
delinquent withholding and sales taxes from businesses. They say
collections have increased to $188 million last year.
“I feel like we made some very substantial improvements” in
collections, said Department of Revenue Commissioner John Eckart.
“I’m pleased.”
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Information from: The Indianapolis Star, http://www.indystar.com
Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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