CHICAGO ? The Chicago Tribune reported earlier this week that one-fourth of Illinois gas station operators have supposedly kept millions of dollars in sales taxes owed to the state by underreporting the amount of fuel they sold.
According to the Tribune, indictments have been returned over the past 18 months against 14 of the state?s 2,400 gas station operators for illegally withholding a portion of the sales taxes their customers paid at the pump. But the Illinois Department of Revenue said the problem runs far deeper, with 651 operators cheating the state, for which it has recouped $54 million in back sales taxes, interest and penalties.
According to the Tribune, the final numbers reveal that 27 percent of the state?s gas stations underreported their sales at some point during the past four years.
"I think it's certainly the case that the industry knows that we're on to the widespread cheating," said Illinois Department of Revenue Director Brian Hamer, noting that in many cases, gas stations began increasing their monthly remittances, in some cases dramatically.�
"It's illegal and infuriating," said Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. "Gas is expensive enough. And if you're not going to give my taxes to the state, you should at least let me keep it."
The report caps a three-year state probe that began with tips from distributors, who were curious as to how some rivals were able to sell fuel so cheaply.
"There are gas wars where people lower the price to stimulate their business, but this lowering went on for months, years at a time," said William Fleischli, executive vice president of the Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association. "And (some of my members) also did their own inquiries. I don't know what they did, but they were convinced there was cheating going on."��
Fleischli said the Tribune article requires further clarification about the retailers, though: ?To make a blanket accusation that small business petroleum marketers are the tax evaders is not correct,? he said. ?The indicated retailers are new to the industry and are not members of the Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association, and because of the Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association?s attention in the matter the tax evaders are being punished and the investigations continue.?
Fleischli also said additional clarification about how Illinois taxes gas stations is necessary for a complete picture of the retail landscape.
The Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association supported legislation that the Illinois Department of Revenue passed "that increased the amount of the sales tax dollars that had to be remitted to the State of�Illinois�upon delivery of gasoline to the retailer,? he said. ?The obligation amount to be paid by Illinois retailers to the State of Illinois is now changed every 6 months to more accurately reflect the current price of gasoline, because Illinois sales tax is a percentage tax (6.25%) based on the retail price of gasoline, when the retail price goes up the retailers tax obligation also is increased.?
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