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Newton silent on tax dispute with IRS, owed more than $32,000 in back taxes

 
Will Newton
Will Newton
Published Oct. 14, 2015

ST. PETERSBURG — City Council candidate Will Newton owed $32,140 in federal back taxes from 2010 until he paid them off two years later, according to IRS documents.

But Newton won't explain to the Tampa Bay Times the source of the income involved in the back taxes.

The IRS filed two separate notices of federal tax liens against Newton in 2010. In September, a lien was filed for $13,515 in unpaid taxes from 2004 to 2006. In December, the federal tax agency filed another lien for $18,625 for the tax years 2007 through 2009.

Both liens were categorized under "small business/self-employed." Newton was a St. Petersburg firefighter for 23 years. Newton didn't respond to questions about the nature of the business or businesses in question. His campaign manager Steve Lapinski said the liens had nothing to do with Newton's licenses as a mortgage broker or insurance agent.

But what business did they pertain to?

"You're asking me a question I don't have an answer to," Lapinski said Thursday.

Lapinski later that day clarified his remarks with a statement: "The liens had nothing to do with a business."

The next day, however, Lapinski told a local blog the taxes were from Newton's work with the firefighters' association.

When first asked about the liens by the Times on Oct. 7, Newton issued a brief statement via text.

"There was a disagreement about a tax issue years ago. Once resolved, it was paid in full," he said. He then mentioned an infraction by his opponent, Lisa Wheeler-Brown, in which she misrepresented campaign finance reports.

Since that text, Newton hasn't returned phone calls. When twice asked in person at a Tuesday news conference about the source of his income, Newton remained silent with a small smile on his face as he shrugged his shoulders with raised palms.

Wheeler-Brown's campaign has acknowledged that she took $500 in campaign funds to pay for an emergency dental procedure. She listed the expense as an office rental before amending her reports last month. Her campaign has blamed her inexperience as a candidate and bad advice from a former campaign aide for her actions.

As for Newton's tax troubles with the IRS?

He "will have to justify that with voters," said her campaign manager, Meagan Salisbury.

Newton and Wheeler-Brown are vying to replace term-limited council member Wengay Newton, the older brother of Will Newton. District 7 covers Midtown, Childs Park and other southern neighborhoods.

Contact Charlie Frago at cfrago@tampabay.com or (727) 893-8459. Follow @CharlieFrago.