Official: City has a tax problem

An estimated 80 percent of city businesses “not licensed for a sales tax but most likely required to collect the state’s sales tax” aren’t doing so, City Controller Alan Butkovitz claimed yesterday.

The non-compliance rate “is totally unacceptable.” The report also mentions Lees Industries Inc. as the top delinquent of 1,000 businesses on the state’s tax-lien list, owing $3.1 million, but owner Eric Lamback said he was not required to pay the tax.