Chaudhary: Taxes all paid
With copies of $270,070 in checks to the IRS to prove it, State Sen. Satveer Chaudhary says he has paid all the taxes he owed to the government.By: Candace Renalls , Duluth News Tribune
With copies of $270,070 in checks to the IRS to prove it, State Sen. Satveer Chaudhary says he has paid all the taxes he owed to the government.
“The tax issue previously reported has been completely resolved,” the Fridley DFLer said in an e-mail Saturday to the Duluth News Tribune.
Chaudhary was referring to a July 9 News Tribune story that said Chaudhary was the subject of a federal tax lien for $251,000 in past-due income taxes.
He had failed to pay $100,000 in income taxes in 2007 and $151,000 in 2008, according to tax records. At the time, Chaudhary said he had a plan with the IRS to pay the taxes and cited his wife Denise’s job loss as the reason taxes hadn’t been paid. He said her termination had been wrongful and discriminatory, and they were challenging it.
“The IRS has been pleasant and understanding to deal with ever since my wife lost her job,” Chaudhary wrote in Saturday’s e-mail. “As I’ve tried to emphasize, we had a payment plan and were paying consistently.”
One check, for $30,069.78 from the couple’s account, apparently was received by the IRS July 30, though it was dated June 30, before the News Tribune story ran. The other check, for $240,000 from his wife’s account, was dated July 15 and received by the IRS the next day.
Both checks appear to be signed by the senator, who said the amount is the final payment agreed upon a month earlier. The payment is more than the $251,000 taxes owed because it includes interest, he said.
Chaudhary was the subject of controversy in May when he sent through last–minute legislation in the state natural resources bill for walleye possession restrictions on Fish Lake, north of Duluth where he owns a home.
As a result, Gov. Tim Pawlenty vetoed the bill. Chaudhary later apologized and the DFL district revoked his party endorsement.
In an e-mail, Chaudhary said he was unavailable to comment further because he was “pretty heavy in the campaign mode.”
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