Phalen
CHARLESTON – Records show Charles L. "Dusty" Phalen Jr.'s mountain of ethics complaints is second only to his mountain of unpaid taxes.
According to the Kanawha County Clerk's Office, 15 liens totaling $24,200.20 have been filed against Phalen in the last three years. The majority were filed by the city of Charleston for unpaid business and occupation taxes, and city service fees.
Records show, Phalen is in arrears to the city for $12,865.14 from when he had his law office on Roane Street. The lion's share of $11,553.67 is unpaid B&O taxes for all of 2008, 2009, 2010 and the first quarter of 2011.
The remainder is unpaid city service fees for all but the first quarter of 2008, all of 2009, 2010 and the first quarter of 2011.
Sometime last year, Phalen moved his office to St. Albans.
The largest single lien filed against Phalen was on Oct. 11 by the state Tax Department for $8,153.71 in unpaid self-employment taxes from 2007-2010. On March 30, the Tax Department filed another lien for $1,003.48 for unpaid fourth quarter 2010 self-employment taxes.
Records show, Phalen is also in hock to the state for unpaid workers' compensation taxes. Three liens were filed against him on Jan. 20 and March 9, 2010, and March 21, 2011 totaling $1,527.87.