Office of Tax & Revenue Revokes Argonaut, Seven Other Local Sales Tax Certificates

‘doesn’t fit the normal stereotype’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

The DC OCFO this afternoon announced that eight restaurants, including H Street anchor Argonaut, and Georgetown’s Mendocino, have had their sales tax certificates revoked for non-remission of sales taxes collected. The eight facilities owe just over $860,000 collectively. The revocation of their tax certificates means they cannot legally collect money for food or drink, which means they’ll likely be closed until such time as they’re settled with the city.

Interestingly enough, Argonaut is saying they’ll be open this evening after a brief closure, as they’re working things out with OCFO. Apparently, there was a problem at the OTR (problems at the Office of Tax and Revenue? Really? I never would have guessed that they might be having problems over there.) that necessitated the demonstration of these payments, and while Joe Englert’s other two businesses were able to quickly do so (the benefits of local banking!), Argonaut was not able to move as quickly thanks to Bank of America. Update: They have been returned their Tax Certificate by the OCFO this morning, according to Twitter.

That does leave these seven other places in hot water with the OCFO:

INTI,1825 18th St., NW
Prince of Georgetown, 3205 Prospect St., NW
Besta Pizza, 5029 Connecticut Ave., NW
Porter’s, 1207 19th St., NW
Prince Café, 1042 Wisconsin Ave., NW
Mendocino Grille, 2917 M St., NW
Café Nema, 1334 U St., NW

If you’ve got reservations, you make want to check them. Full release after the break:

GOVERNMENT OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
OFFICE OF TAX AND REVENUE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 29, 2009
CONTACT: Natalie Wilson
(202) 442-8072

OTR Revokes Sales Tax Certificates of 8 District Restaurants

(Washington, DC) The Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) yesterday revoked the sales and use tax certificates of eight restaurants that owe, collectively, more than $860,000 in sales taxes collected from patrons.

Revocation of the sales tax certificates prohibits the following establishments from making retail sales – selling of food and beverages:

OTR made numerous attempts to collect the outstanding taxes from the establishments without success. When the owners failed to respond to multiple collection notices, OTR was forced to revoke their sales tax certificates.

This action is part of an ongoing investigation of businesses that are not remitting sales taxes collected. Additional collection actions, such as seizures, bank levies and additional sales tax certificate revocations are planned for businesses that are not in tax compliance.

OTR encourages businesses that are not in compliance to immediately file missing returns immediately, pay any liability due or to contact our Collection Division to arrange a payment plan. The Collection Division can be reached at (202) 724-5045.

Tom Bridge

I live and work in the District of Columbia. I write at We Love DC, a blog I helped start, I work at Technolutionary, a company I helped start, and I’m happy doing both. I enjoy watching baseball, cooking, and gardening. I grow a mean pepper, keep a clean scorebook, and wash the dishes when I’m done. Read Why I Love DC.