ALBANY - Governor David Paterson, Senator Jeffrey Klein and Assemblyman William Colton announced that the New York State Department of Taxation and Finance will begin posting the State's top 250 business and top 250 individual tax debtors on the Department's website. This measure is intended to recoup lost tax revenues because of tax delinquents who do not pay their tax liabilities.

"Since the beginning of my time in office, I have stressed the vital importance of addressing our State's serious fiscal issues honestly and transparently," Governor Paterson said. "These businesses and individuals, who shamelessly evade our tax laws, put the entire State in jeopardy and allow others to pay for the vital services they enjoy. By utilizing this website to identify the most egregious offenders, we send a powerful message to those who would seek to benefit from all that New York State has to offer but refuse to contribute their fair share."

At the beginning of each month, the Department will examine the records of those who have at least one tax warrant filed against them in the preceding 12 months. If the total of open warrants in an individual's history calls for it, the total value of all open warrants for that tax delinquent will be used to determine their placement in top 250 lists.

Senator Jeffrey D. Klein said: "At this time of fiscal crisis, New York absolutely cannot tolerate individuals and businesses brazenly skirting our tax laws. This website is a critical first step in closing the massive tax gap our state is facing. By publicly naming the most outrageous cases, we put all those who would seek to circumvent our tax laws on notice, this behavior will no longer be tolerated."

Assemblymember William Colton said: "This delinquent revenue can mean the difference between keeping hospitals and schools open or closed. And let there be no doubt that those businesses and individuals that do not pay their fair share, in effect, force law abiding citizens to pay more. The status quo cannot be permitted to continue any longer."

Department of Taxation and Finance Acting Commissioner Jamie Woodward said: "Tax warrants are a matter of public record, and our notices to taxpayers inform them of that fact. Allowing for easy public access to these names is just one more tool we will use in our enforcement program to collect all that is owed in taxes in order for the State to pay for vital services it provides to all New Yorkers."

The information is now available on the Department's website at: www.nystax.gov.