Central Coast residents owe millions in taxes

September 13, 2011

At least five Central Coast individuals may be targeted by a major legislative effort to penalize tax scofflaws by suspending professional or drivers’ licenses of the state’s worst offenders.

Assemblyman Henry T. Perea (D-Fresno) has pushed his bill to the desk of Governor Jerry Brown, where it awaits his signature or veto.

Among those locals with tax liabilities on the state’s list are Frank Kenneth Worth, of Nipomo, who owes $1,342,9965; Curtis Eugene Kiser and Sandra Jean Kiser, Grover Beach, $836,730; Kenny Seguine, Nipomo, $360,525; and Nancy Perea, Santa Maria, $781,063. She is no relation to the legislation’s author, said an aide to the assemblyman.

The bill is part of an effort to recover an estimated $6.5 billion in tax monies owed to the state by delinquent taxpayers. Perea originally intended  to target only the top 250 debtors, but amendments hiked that total to 500.

If signed into law, the bill would allow state officials to be able to work with other states and the IRS to track down debtors who have moved funds out-of-state. Debtors can escape the penalty if they can demonstrate legitimate financial duress.

State officials said the current debtor list also includes a Hollywood celebrity, a dot com millionaire, former professional athletes, doctors, lawyers, dentists, realtors, major builders and many others.