Delta town says, ‘Hey buddy can you spare a dime? We have to pay taxes.’

Published 9:47 pm Tuesday, May 14, 2019

A Mississippi Delta town government is seeking private donations to pay off nearly $350,000 in tax debt and penalties.

The Bolivar Commercial reports Mound Bayou Mayor Eulah Peterson told aldermen on Tuesday that the city failed to pay $182,000 in federal payroll taxes from 2010 to 2016. Since then, the Internal Revenue Service has assessed $163,000 in interest and penalties.

The mayor wasn’t in office then and says she doesn’t know why the payments weren’t made.

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Peterson says the town has made two offers to settle the debt, but says the IRS has rejected both. Aldermen approved her request to form a fundraising committee to seek private donations for debt repayment.

The mayor says the town is also seeking help from its congressional representatives and is soliciting free legal aid.