Report cites Woodcock’s tax, lien woes

AUGUSTA – WMTW News 8 reported Wednesday that Republican gubernatorial candidate Chandler Woodcock, a state senator from Farmington, has had repeated tax problems, leading to numerous liens on his home that have been discharged.

WMTW said a review of public records showed that between 1997 and 2004, the town placed nine liens on Woodcock’s house for failure to pay the municipal sewer bill.

The total amount of those unpaid bills was $2,686. The largest bill was for $900 while the smallest was $49, the station said, adding that the final lien was paid off in October 2004, according to town documents.

WMTW also said the Franklin County Registry of Deeds Web site showed Woodcock had a problem with the state. According to documents on the site, the state put a lien on his house in 2005 because of his failure to pay more than $300 in state income taxes in 2003, WMTW said.

According to the report, officials said that after arranging a payment plan with the state, Woodcock’s back income taxes were paid off and the lien was lifted.

The station said there are currently no liens on Woodcock’s property.

Woodcock spokesman Chris Jackson said Wednesday night the financial records cited in the report had long been public and that the timing of the report was “suspicious.”

Jackson noted that Woodcock had told the station his family had faced financial pressures during a time when children were in college.

“It’s all paid up. It’s all settled,” Jackson said.

Jackson said Woodcock, who personally addressed the issue with WMTW earlier, was not immediately available for comment.

Woodcock, Green Independent Pat LaMarche and independent Barbara Merrill are challenging the re-election bid of Democratic Gov. John Baldacci.

Woodcock gained the GOP nomination in June by finishing first in a three-way Republican primary election.