A Million A Year

10 July 2004

Earn a million, file no return?
The state wants to talk to you
By Mark Schwanhausser

Maybe it slipped their minds. Maybe they were busy counting their money. Or maybe the dog ate it.

Whatever the reason, 65 Santa Clara County residents who hauled in at least $1 million in income still haven’t filed their 2002 tax returns. Ditto for many more local professionals who really ought to know better: 59 certified public accountants and 221 lawyers.

State tax officials said Thursday they are mailing notices to about 700,000 scofflaws—or nearly one of every 20 taxpayers—statewide. All told, they owe $450 million that could help plug the state’s $6.5 billion budget gap.

The county is home to about 8 percent of the 865 Californians who earned at least $1 million in 2002 and didn’t file a tax return. That’s double the county’s share of tax-slacker CPAs, lawyers, contractors and medical professionals.

The Mercury News
July 9, 2004

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