David "Tax Dodger" Ralston
Like millions of Georgians, David Ralston does not like April 15th. However, unlike Ralston, most of us do the right thing and pay what we owe. Ralston doesn’t pay his taxes, but he wants to spend yours.
Time and time again, Ralston was admonished for failing to pay both state and federal taxes. Lucky for Ralston, he had friends in high places. When calls for him to be stripped of committee Chairmanship reached now-discredited House Speaker Glenn Richardson, Richardson said "…I am going to do everything I can to help him be successful."1 That, of course, included letting Ralston keep his spot as Chairman.
- Ralston continually refused to pay his taxes
In 2003, the State of Georgia forced Ralston to pay more than $35,000 in unpaid taxes dating back to 1999.2 By 2006, the problem had become so bad that the IRS placed a tax lien against him for more than $400,000 in unpaid taxes dating back ten years.3 As recently as last year, he still had not learned his lesson and was forced to pay nearly $12,000 in unpaid state taxes from 2006.4
1. IRS debt won't cost lawmaker his gavel
2. Report: North Georgia lawmaker owes $347,000 in back taxes
3. Tax woes don't block candidates
4. OUR OPINIONS: Dodge tax scofflaws
