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$12M to $30M in unpaid taxes
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Posted on Feb 08 2012
The government has yet to collect $12 million to $30 million in unpaid taxes from businesses and individuals, Lt. Gov. Eloy S. Inos said yesterday.
Inos, a former Finance secretary, said the reason behind the wide range is that the principal amount alone is some $12 million but the inclusion of penalties and interests would bring the figure to $30 million.
“This is cumulative unpaid taxes,” he said in an interview at the Saipan Chamber of Commerce’s general membership meeting at Saipan World Resort in Susupe yesterday.
These unpaid obligations dating back to the ‘80s include business gross revenue tax, taxes on wages, salary or earnings or withholding tax, hotel room, bar and jackpot taxes, and excise tax.
Inos said the government wanted to collect all these unpaid taxes plus penalties and interests but doing so in some cases would result in business closures so the government has been working on settlement agreements and payment plans with these taxpayers.
The government has also been filing separate notices of tax lien against several entities so that these entities would enter into a payment plan with the government, for them to be able to settle their obligations while allowing them to continue to do business in the CNMI.
Inos reiterated that the government has no plan to implement a tax amnesty similar to those in 2001 and 2005 under previous administrations.
