Out-of-staters owe Maine almost $17 million in taxes

PORTLAND — Maine is hoping that Florida debt collection lawyers will help it get out-of-staters to cough up millions of dollars of unpaid taxes.

Over the years, people and businesses outside of Maine have accumulated nearly $17 million in tax bills that remain unpaid, according to the Department of Administrative and Financial Services, which recently renewed its longstanding contract with Tampa Bay-based law firm Marcadis Singer PA.

The tax debt typically comes from out-of-staters failing to pay Maine income and sales taxes, according to department spokesman David Heidrich.

The trouble is that Maine tax collectors can only operate within the state. If collections calls and monthly bills don’t do it, the state turns to the courts to try to get debtors living elsewhere to pay up. The process begins with a Maine court issuing a warrant to collect from someone. The state sends these notices to lawyers around the country that it hires to chase down unpaid taxes, according to a financial services department.

Read more: http://www.journaltribune.com/news/2017-03-16/State%7CRegional/Outofstaters_owe_Maine_almost_17_million_in_taxes_001.html