Politics & Government

PV Residents on Delinquent Taxpayer List

More than $177 million has been collected since the state started publishing the Delinquent Taxpayers List in 2007, according to the state Franchise Tax Board.

A man listed as living in Redondo Beach earned a spot on the state's list of Top 500 Delinquent Taxpayers, released Thursday.

Balaji Gattu of Rancho Palos Verdes owes $469,069.04, and a lien was filed against him on Nov. 10, 2010.

Sahab & Mojgan Sanjar of Rolling Hills owe $443,635.21, and a lien was filed against them on March 24, 2010. Between them, they are licensed by the Department of Real Estate and hold an expired license from the Engineers and Land Surveyors Board.

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Nevertheless, the trio owes far less than some on the list. Manhattan Beach resident Scott McNiel is reported to owe the California Franchise Tax Board $6,457,911.59, just behind Daniel and Luisa Furlan of San Diego, who owe $7,491,759.66, and Halsey Minor of San Ramon, who owes $10,711,669.29.

Individuals and businesses on the just-released list face new consequences, including the suspension of state-issued licenses, according to a news release from FTB, which began implementation of the Top 500 program in November 2011 after its previous Top 250 list garnered nearly $177 million since its inception in October 2007.

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Other new provisions in the top debtors program include: 

  • Publishing the names and titles of corporate officers of listed corporations.
  • Publishing professional license information.
  • Authorizing FTB to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states to offset refunds and collect tax debt.
  • Prohibiting state agencies from entering into contracts with the Top 500. 
  • Taxpayers on the list will be removed once the tax is paid or the taxpayer agrees to resolve their tax debt, said the FTB. Tax liabilities under appeal, in litigation, or in bankruptcy proceedings are not included on the list. 

    The disclosure of the Top 500 stems from Assembly Bill 1424 which directs FTB to publicly disclose the list at least two times a year. 

    Individual taxpayers on the list can contact FTB at 888-426-8555 to resolve their accounts and business taxpayers can call 888-426-8751, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except on state holidays.

    The Top 500 list will next be updated in April 2013 on FTB’s website. The California Board of Equalization has a similar list, updated quarterly, of the state’s top sales and use tax delinquencies. 

    —Editor Nicole Mooradian contributed to this report.


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