Scott Powers
Democrat Gary Siplin, a former state senator seeking another shot at the Florida Senate in the Orlando-based District 11, dismissed more than $243,000 of federal tax liens as contested taxes he expects will go away through federal appeals processes.
“All I know is, according to my accountant, everything is fine,” Siplin said about the liens, on file with the Orange County Comptroller. “Whatever taxes that we owe — we don’t believe we owe. We’re appealing them.”
Siplin said he does not know what the tax liens are for. There are nine tax liens, brought by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for various debts the IRS claims are from years spanning 2003 to 2013.
Siplin is in a hotly contested, four-way Aug. 30 Democratic primary race with state Rep. Randolph Bracy, activist Chuck O’Neal and former state Rep. Bob Sindler, also a former Orange County commissioner.
The seat, being vacated by state Sen. Geraldine Thompson, who is running for Congress, has no Republican candidates, though there are two write-in candidates. So the Aug. 30 election will be for Democratic voters only, and the winner will be formally elected in November.
