The Oregon Department of Revenue published its first-ever list of delinquent taxpayers July 14, highlighting approximately 3,000 businesses and individuals who owe the state at least $50,000 in taxes.

Among the debtors are 15 businesses and 67 individuals in Jackson County who combined owe almost $38 million to the state.

The 20-page list is the Oregon Department of Revenue’s first attempt to encourage delinquent taxpayers to pay up by publishing the catalog for public viewing, although the practice is relatively common among other U.S. states, including California, Florida and Wisconsin.

Back in 2019, Oregon lawmakers passed legislation allowing the Department of Revenue to name and publish taxpayers who owe the state more than $50,000.

The Department of Revenue planned to launch the delinquent taxpayer list in 2020, but it was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department of Revenue sent out approximately 3,000 letters in May to notify taxpayers owing $50,000 or more that their names would be shared publicly if they didn’t pay their dues or set up a payment plan with the department.

In total, approximately $785 million in unpaid taxes was owed to the state at the end of 2022, with a delinquency rate of under 3%, according to the Department of Revenue.

The agency hopes the list will reduce the delinquency rate and increase the number of people paying their taxes.

“Mostly, I really want people to engage with us. It’s mostly people that haven’t engaged with us,” said Deanna Mack, administrator for the Collections Division of the Department of Revenue. “I would like to work with these folks to get them caught up.”

The department has had early success from the notices sent in May to businesses and individuals owing $50,000-plus, with the agency setting up $27 million in payment plans and $6 million tax payments in full, according to the Department of Revenue.

“I would say that people respond to the notices, and that’s where you have the best compliance,” Mack said. “We have a lot of folks calling us and making arrangements.”

A Portland-based cannabis company with a Jackson County cannabis farm, American Patriot Brands, reached the top of the statewide list with $27 million owed in taxes. The company, which dissolved in July, according to business records on file with the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, faces fraud charges from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which has accused the company and others involved of participating in a long-running fraud scheme.

The company and accomplices allegedly “raised more that $30 million from more than 100 investors across the country and siphoned off millions of those funds to enrich themselves,” a report from the SEC said.

The Department of Revenue first announced it would publish the delinquent taxpayer list in May with a two-month grace period for businesses and individuals to pay their outstanding debts.

Mack said she hopes that more taxpayers will be “coming to the table, working with us and getting themselves into tax compliance.”

Individuals and businesses have the opportunity to remove their name from the list by paying their debts or entering into a payment plan with the state.

The Department of Revenue’s website includes more information at www.oregon.gov/dor/programs/Collections/Pages/delinquent-taxpayers.aspx.

Taxpayers seeking to make arrangements to resolve their outstanding debt can use the department’s online services portal at revenueonline.dor.oregon.gov/tap/_/.

Individual taxpayers can call 503-945-8200, and business taxpayers can call 503-945-8100 to resolve their accounts.

Individuals

Gary T. Whittle, Medford, $928,000

Sandra J. Whittle, Medford, $927,000

Rickey J. Matthews, Eagle Point, $894,000

Jimmy L. Sesma, Rogue River, $445,000

Tracy Floresrosas, Medford, $339,000

Robert C. Hernandez, Central Point, $328,000

Laura D. Sesma, Rogue River, $199,000

Felipe Escoto, Medford, $189,000

Quinn Courtright, Ashland, $171,000

Donald L. Blumenfeld, Jacksonville, $169,000

Dennis Ford, Medford, $165,000

Kelly S. Angel, Medford, $164,000

Francesca Ford, Medford, $164,000

Keith M. Kenney, Medford, $161,000

Stephen J. Lebrun, Central Point, $154,000

Tricia L. Defelice, Talent, $151,000

Thomas M. Young, Rogue River, $146,000

Harold E. McFall, Central Point, $145,000

Beau J. Rillo, Rogue River, $141,000

Robert E. Romig, Phoenix, $141,000

Peter R. Gleysteen, Medford, $136,000

Benjamin M. Hausman, Medford, $136,000

Brian F. Millett, Medford, $133,000

Robert T. Milner Jr., Gold Hill, $129,000

Mike Kirkwood, Medford, $125,000

Thomas E. Stone, Medford, $120,000

Mark E. Hicks, Medford, $112,000

Brent M. Kenyon, Medford, $111,000

Richard K. Ward, Medford, $107,000

Kevin W. McCoy, Eagle Point, $106,000

Tandra D. McCoy, Eagle Point, $106,000

Rachel W. Milhoan, Medford, $100,000

Michelle Hall, Ashland, $99,000

Steven J. Dobbs, Central Point, $98,000

Zhen Y. Zhu, Medford, $98,000

Gabriel G. Valentino, Central Point, $97,000

Jennifer L. Lupton, Ashland, $92,000

Dane K. Vallente, Medford, $89,000

Lisa M. Winters, Ashland, $81,000

Masao M. Williams, Gold Hill, $81,000

Ray D. Poitevint, Medford, $81,000

Donovan C. Donnally, Medford, $78,000

Martin Gonzalez, Medford, $77,000

Carla M. Summers, Central Point, $76,000

Gary H. Bixby, Medford, $75,000

Jordan W. Beck, Jacksonville, $75,000

Steven J. Caschera, Rogue River, $73,000

Jake W. Ingersoll, Medford, $69,000

Somkanay Dechasiri, Medford, $68,000

Stephen Mitson, Gold Hill, $67,000

Michelle M. Nistler, Medford, $65,000

Jess S. Hanon, Eagle Point, $65,000

Dale C. Decatlow, Medford, $64,000

Rodeny Wilkerson, Gold Hill, $64,000

Patricia C. Volk, Medford, $62,000

Albert D. Volk, Medford, $61,000

Jacob D. Troyer, Central Point, $61,000

Lauren T. Troyer, Central Point, $61,000

Kevin J. Blum, Medford, $60,000

Jeffrey Moffatt, Medford, $60,000

Tiffany L. Bennett, Central Point, $59,000

Michael Cooke, Ashland, $57,000

Marcelo Corona, Central Point, $56,000

Clint A. Thomas, Central Point, $55,000

Mark S. Townsend, Eagle Point, $54,000

John H. Carlson, Central Point, $52,000

Michael D. Wooton, Medford, $51,000

Businesses

American Patriot Brands Inc., Medford, $27,068,000

AO Crisis Management and Consulting Inc., Medford, $140,000

American Tobacco Wholesale LLC, Medford, $140,000

Variations By Valentino Inc., Central Point, $120,000

Streamline Industries Corporation, Medford, $109,000

Brian Millett Masonry Inc., Medford, $97,000

Leap Industries LLC, Rogue River, $95,000

Kenyon Consulting LLC, Medford, $77,000

Let’s Build Oregon LLC, Gold Hill, $67,000

New Horizons Construction Inc., Medford, $64,000

Brandon Bennett Flooring Inc., Central Point, $63,000

Ahuva Bagel Company LLC, Central Point, $62,000

Tri Hex Brands LLC, Ashland, $60,000

Smart Cookies Inc., Ashland, $57,000

Well Earth Goods LLC, Medford, $51,000