California’s tax wall of shame

By law, the state of California maintains a website listing “the 500 largest delinquent sales and use tax accounts over $100,000.” I came across this while doing some investigative research on California’s peculiar use tax. More on that in another post, perhaps.

The Top 500 Sales & Use Tax Delinquencies in California page has some fascinating content. The largest delinquent account comes in at $18,433,917. That’s right, “CALIF. TARGET ENTERPRISES INC.” owes the state of California more than 18 million dollars! (That’s not Target the retailer, but someone else.)

Naturally, we might wish that the state could collect on these accounts and possibly help reduce its deficit (which is about $13 billion, so CALIF. TARGET ENTERPRISES INC would only be able to contribute a drop in the bucket. Still.). And surely the state has some more proactive means for doing this than simply posting a passive website. However:

“Since the inception of this program, the Board of Equalization has received a total of $5.3 million from 40 qualifying taxpayers that came forward to take care of their debts: 27 through installment payment agreements and 13 by making payment in full.”

So hey, maybe public shame works. For some.

2 Comments
1 of 2 people learned something from this entry.

  1. Vince said,

    March 31, 2012 at 7:24 am

    (Knew it already.)

    Four of the companies on the list, including Target Enterprises, are owned by the same couple.

    http://taxdollars.ocregister.com/2010/11/30/they-did-time-and-now-state-wants-money/69390/

  2. Kiri said,

    March 31, 2012 at 12:02 pm

    (Learned something new!)

    Interesting — thanks for the additional info!

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