Nixon’s first appointment paid off federal tax lien this year
Kelvin Simmons, who is Missouri Gov.-elect Jay Nixon’s first appointment to his cabinet, paid off a federal tax lien on his home earlier this year, public records show.
Simmons, Nixon’s choice to lead the Office of Administration, faced the $22,000 lien for back taxes in 2004. He has been paying it off since then and it was paid off in June of this year, according to tax records.
Nixon transition team officials said they were aware of the lien and asked Simmons about it before naming him as Nixon’s first cabinet appointment. The lien resulted from deferred compensation paid to Simmons after the death of his wife, Cheryl. She died in 2001. Simmons didn’t pay the taxes on the compensation then based on advice from his accountant, said transition officials.
Simmons, a former Kansas City city councilman, previously was chairman of the Public Service Commission and director of the Department of Economic Development under Gov. Bob Holden.
Last week, the Missouri Republican Party criticized the appointment because Simmons was a lobbyist for a company that has business before the Missouri Housing Development Commission, on which Nixon sits. Simmons pulled his lobbyist registration the day after he was designated as Nixon’s appointment.
Looks like Nixon is off to a great start!!
Wow, not encouraging at all.
So the first guy Jay picks has had a tax lien on his house for four years before paying it off. Since his new salary is paid by taxpayers maybe we should all not pay our taxes for four years. Way to go, Jay.
Wasn’t Blunts first appointment Fred Ferrel… the sexually harrassing weasle. Or was it that gal who stole all the sorority money?
Garrison, change the subject if you want. Like, I said, Jay’s first appointment can’t pay his taxes for four years!!! Way to go, Jay!!!
Apparently Mr. Simmons doesn’t share Obama’s view that paying lots of taxes is how more fortunate folks show their gratitude for their opportunities.
Simmon’s ill-informed lawyer should have suggested he use his campaign funds to pay the taxes. I favor the Cynthia Davis defense. Campaign finance laws are so confusing….
Nice job working an Obama slam into this story, Nick. Bonus points for inappropriately using the term gratitude relative to taxes Mr. Simmons apparently owed on income received upon the death of his wife. There has been no crime committed, and there are lots of folks that find themselves in situations where a sudden “windfall” that amounts to no real net monetary gain will have substantial trouble coughing up an unexpected tax liability. It can take years for even a small estate to get through probate, which might explain where the income from the deferred comp sat and why there wasn’t 22 grand lying around to pay those taxes. There but for the grace of God…
Leading the Office of Administration is a very big job that takes an extensive knowledge of what state government does and how it does it. The man had a personal tax debt and he paid it off. I guess the people teasing him on this blog haven’t had that misfortune, but lots and lots of people in Missouri have. I don’t see how it disqualifies him from serving as the Director of OA.
If anything, the perseverance indicated by actually dealing with this problem is probably an asset to the job - he’ll need lots more of that to deal with the economic debacle created by the borrow and spend right wing “voodoo” economics the Republicans have been piling on us since the 1980’s.
It’s too bad that there aren’t any “compassionate” conservatives out there. Did you family values guys overlook the fact that he incurred this debt following his family’s changed financial situation in the wake of the death of his wife? Noisy blog posters on the P-D from the right are just plain mean. I don’t think you can win that way anymore. Go read a children’s book about learning to play well with others or something.
Penny,
Its payback time. Obama is going to get worked into everything, just like you did with Bush. The Nation had Clinton Fatigue eigtt years ago. It won’t take long for Clinton III to wear thin.