State Airs Tardy Taxpayers' Dirty Laundry

By Joanna Miller in News on Aug 7, 2006 9:08PM

Thought you could keep that little IRS debt a secret? Yeah, not so much. The Illinois Department of Revenue has posted the names of 200 businesses and individuals who owe them money on the department’s Web site.

Officials believe the list will bring in $1 million in unpaid taxes from people who are embarrassed by potential disclosure. A state law allows the names of delinquent taxpayers to be made public if they have owed at least $1,000 for six months.

Most individuals and businesses on the list owe at least $20,000. We’re curious if lesser offenders were shown some mercy by the state, but we doubt it. Perhaps those who owed only a grand or two were able to settle their debts before the list went public.

Since notices about the list went out in November, 122 taxpayers have paid up.

Image via usinfo.state.gov