Westmoreland County Coroner Tim Carson owes more than $11,000 in unpaid state income taxes, according to court documents.
Carson, a Republican from Scottdale, won the November election and took office in January.
For more than two decades, he has owned and operated Carson’s Tavern and Catering, a restaurant and events center in downtown Scottdale. According to court documents filed by the state’s Department of Revenue, Carson owes back taxes from 2019, plus interest and penalties, totaling $12,720.
Carson on Wednesday said his business suffered during the coronavirus pandemic, which forced him to prioritize spending to remain open.
“My first obligation was to take care of my family then make sure my employees were paid,” Carson said. “I got behind like a lot of small businesses did over the past few years, and I have finally got everything caught up and will have my tax obligations with penalties paid in the next few weeks.
“I’m proud to say that no one had to lose their job, and we continued to keep our doors open.”
According to the state Department of Revenue, more than 102,000 individual taxpayers were subject to liens through Nov. 1, 2020, totaling in excess of $655.5 million in delinquent taxes.
“It will be taken care of,” Carson said of the tax obligation.
According to court records, Carson and his ex-wife paid $5,028 on March 9 to satisfy a state lien filed against them last year for unpaid income taxes in 2018.
Records show Carson’s catering business received nearly $100,000 in government grants and loans as part of coronavirus pandemic relief programs over the past two years, including a $20,000 hospitality grant from Westmoreland County.
The lien filed this month only involves Carson’s personal finances and is not related to his business.
