WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — The IRS has filed a nearly $800,000 tax lien against the City of Warner Robins.
That lien covers problems dating back to 2015, and says the city didn’t file important records or filed incorrect records for several of those years. The cost to the city is more than $792,000 in penalties, interest, and more. Mayor Randy Toms held a press conference to say he just recently heard about the city's tax troubles.
"Like you, I was shocked and deeply disappointed to hear these claims, I'm especially ashamed at the misunderstanding of the subject matter of these claims," Mayor Randy Toms said in a press conference.
Toms says the mayor's office does not keep the books for the city, but he said he's starting an investigation to find out what went wrong.
“This is not an issue of back taxes being owed but an issue of mistakes in reporting and notices of reports of mistakes being ignored," Toms said.
A mistake financial expert Sherri Goss says could hurt city employees.
"Social Security taxes not being paid properly could actually impact your Social Security benefits down the road," Goss explained.
Toms is running for a third term and faces LaRhonda Patrick in a November 30th runoff.
Patrick, who's an attorney, called the city's tax troubles “a careless act of management and a violation of trust."
“It did note deficiencies in our financial reporting and financial systems. Those things are on the city's website, so to hear that there was no knowledge of the delinquent taxes alone, that doesn't sit well with me," Patrick said.
Toms spoke for less than three minutes Wednesday, then left without taking questions, leaving reporters, taxpayers, and city employees with few answers about what happens next.