GOP candidate faces huge tax liens

Toms River Council President Greg McGuckin, the GOP candidate for Mayor, "has more than $120,000 in federal tax liens filed against him," according to an Asbury Park Press report.  "The liens totaling $121,913.87, are for unpaid individual income taxes from the years 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005," according to the news story.  McGuckin faces Democrat Richard Strada, a former Mayor, and Carmine Inteso, a Republican Councilman running as an Independent.

The full story, written by APP reporter Lauren Kidd:

Republican mayoral candidate and current Toms River Township Council president Gregory P. McGuckin has more than $120,000 in federal tax liens filed against him, according to documents filed with the Ocean County Clerk.

The liens totaling $121,913.87, are for unpaid individual income taxes from the years 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005, according to the documents.

In a statement released today, McGuckin said he is in the process of refinancing his house, located at 123 Cardinal Drive, and anticipates paying off the entire liability within the next two weeks. He also said he plans to forge ahead with a positive message to make Toms River a better place.

"The simple fact is that when I became a partner (in the Forked River based law firm of Dasti, Murphy, McGuckin, Ulaky, Cherkos and Connors) instead of an employee, I became responsible for my own filing and paying my own withholding taxes and I misjudged the amounts I would owe,'' McGuckin said.

"When it became clear that my liability was much higher than I expected, quite
frankly, I did not have the money to pay it,'' he said.

McGuckin said he is "embarrassed'' and knows "my mistakes will be used as a  campaign issue.''

McGuckin's opponents in the pursuit of the Toms River mayoral seat blasted McGuckin for raising taxes as council president, while not paying his own.

"It is sad that this has happened to one of our elected officials and I truly hope that as Mr. McGuckin states it was an oversight,'' said independent mayoral candidate
and current Republican councilman Carmine C. Intesto Jr. "It is unconscionable that he would raise the taxes on working families and then refuse to pay his own.''

Richard P. Strada, Democratic candidate for mayor, said if it is true, "I find it  deeply troubling that the Republican mayoral candidate who raised our municipal taxes 44 percent has not paid his own federal income tax.''

Both Toms River GOP chairman Rick Clement and Toms River GOP president Virginia Haines said they had not known about McGuckin's tax liens before today, and said they had to talk to McGuckin before commenting on the issue.