A seventh state lawmaker is among tens of thousands of individuals and businesses who are at least 90 days delinquent in paying their state taxes through September, a Hartford Business Journal computer analysis of tax records has found.
State Rep. Jason Bartlett, a Democrat from Bethel who is also a vice chairman of the appropriations committee, is listed in the database of delinquent taxpayers as owing $5,993.24 in individual income taxes.
The HBJ reported on Oct. 5 that six state lawmakers were on the list of delinquent taxpayers which was updated as of Sept. 1.
Bartlett was not included in the original story because he didn’t respond to several calls and emails seeking comment and confirmation about the debt. He was also listed in the database at a different address then the one listed as his home address on his website. Bartlett’s home address is listed at 14 Highview Terrace in Bethel, but he was listed in the database at 227 Greenwood Ave. in the same town.
City land records, however, list Bartlett as the owner of both properties, with the latter being a multi-use commercial property.
After the initial HBJ story on delinquent taxpayers was published Oct. 5, Bartlett responded to the HBJ through a written statement from his press aide David Bednarz.
“I want to thank HBJ for bringing this to my attention,” Bartlett said in the Oct. 5 statement. “I have not been contacted by the DRS, so I will look into this matter and begin to make arrangements to pay off any debt owed to DRS.”
Through a Freedom of Information request to the Department of Revenue Services, the Hartford Business Journal obtained a database containing the names of tens of thousands of individuals and businesses who are delinquent in paying their taxes by 90 days or more.
The database, which was updated as of Sept. 1, includes 193,245 separate entries. In some cases, businesses and individuals are listed multiple times.
The HBJ identified lawmakers in the database by matching it to a list containing the names and addresses of all 187 state senators and representatives. Other state lawmakers who were on the list included Rep. David A. Scribner, R-Brookfield; Rep. Auden Grogins, D-Bridgeport; Sen. Andrew Maynard, D-Stonington; Rep. Ezequiel Santiago, D-Bridgeport; Rep. Terry Backer, D-Stratford; and Rep. Juan Candelaria, D-New Haven.
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