Records Show Oakland Mayor Owes IRS Back Taxes

Records Show Oakland Mayor Owes IRS Back Taxes; Lien Placed On Property

(AP)  OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) - Oakland Mayor Ron Dellums and his wife owe more than $200,000 in back taxes to the Internal Revenue Service, property records indicate.

Alameda County records show the IRS has placed a lien on the couple's property that claims they failed to pay $239,000 in federal income taxes from 2005 to 2007. The lien was filed Oct. 14.

Dellums acknowledged in an interview with the Oakland Tribune Monday that he owes taxes and says the issue is being dealt with. He would not say why he is in arrears.

Paul Rose, a spokesman for Dellums, said the mayor and the IRS had previously disagreed over the amount owed.

Dellums earns about $184,000 a year as mayor. He worked as a lobbyist before taking office as mayor in 2007 and had previously served in Congress.

His wife, Cynthia, acts as his unpaid adviser.