Four Coventry Taxpayers on RI's List of Tax Delinquents

Three Coventry businesses have been named to the state's commercial list of RI's top 100 Tax Delinquents, owing a combined $179,353.

The three businesses include:

• The Countertop Store, 290 Mile Road — $70,512

• Kevin A. Gould, KTT ENT & Mr. Checkout, 618 Main St. — $57,334.35

• Johnson Tire and Service Corp., 895 Read Schoolhouse Road — $51,506.19

The list is the result of an amendment to a 2003 law allowing the top 100 lists of tax delinquents to be posted on the state Department of Revenue's website, according to Neil Downing, chief revenue agent for the department.

The original law, RI General Law 44-1-34, allowed the DOR to post one list of the top 100, business and residential alike. It was amended over the summer and the amendment was signed by Gov. Lincoln Chafee on June 30, expanding the scope and number of lists the state can post. See the summary attached to this article.

"The new law splits the lists based on tax type," Downing said, allowing them to post a list of the top residential and top commercial tax delinquents. There are no residents named to the list of top 100 most delinquent income taxpayers.

The law appears to be effective, Downing said, adding that notices went to delinquent taxpayers in August warning them they would be on the list if they didn't pay or enter a payment plan. Since then, about 145 taxpayers have paid a total of $1.56 million to avoid going on the list. In all of 2010, the tax delinquent list resulted in about $900,000 collected.

"That, to me, is the most important aspect of these lists," Downing said.

Tax delinquents are not stuck on the list indefintely, according to state Tax Administrator David Sullivan. “If a taxpayer does appear on the list, we stand ready to remove their name if they contact us and pay what they owe or take part in a reasonable installment agreement,” he said.