Restaurants in Emporia and Burlington were recently seized, along with property in Council Grove, by the Kansas Department of Revenue for failure to pay taxes.
KDOR Public Relations Director Rachel Whitten says Revenue agents, Lyon County deputies, Morris County deputies and Council Grove Police officers executed tax warrants Tuesday, seizing property and assets belonging to Juan M Ramirez, Alejandro Soria and Tachotaco, Inc., for failing to pay a total of over $53,000 in retail sales tax and another $26,000 in liquor tax.
A news release from KDOR does not list the properties affected by name. However, the Emporia address listed, 1116 West Sixth, is that of La Hacienda Restaurant — and the restaurant had “seized” signs and copies of tax warrants displayed prominently on the business windows Thursday.
The Council Grove address is 1001 Hall Street, Apartment C.
In the news release, Whitten said all known bank accounts, on-site cash, business inventory and personal property belonging to the owners was seized. The department’s stated policy is to seize property only after KDOR has worked with taxpayers in delinquent status to voluntarily set up repayment agreements — but those efforts and multiple collection efforts have failed. In such cases, KDOR then uses bank levies, till taps and asset seizures to force compliance.
Calls to Tachotaco and Soria are not answered. Calls to Ramirez are met with a disconnect signal.
Separately, the Department of Revenue seized a La Hacienda in Burlington for nonpayment of retail sales and liquor taxes totaling almost $13,500. Calls to the restaurant are not answered. Whitten has confirmed ownership is different for the Emporia and Burlington restaurants in question but has not provided other specifics.
Auction details with these cases are all pending.
2:30 pm Thursday: La Haciendas seized in Emporia, Burlington
A popular Hispanic restaurant in Emporia has been seized.
The Kansas Department of Revenue recently posted paperwork to that end at La Hacienda, 1116 West Sixth, saying the restaurant owes nearly $20,000 in sales tax revenue from February 2016 through June of 2017. The department also says La Hacienda owes another $16,700 in liquor drink excise taxes from early 2016 through March 2017.
Calls to Tachotaco Incorporated, listed as a contact, are not answered. Calls to a Juan Ramirez, also listed as a contact, go straight to a disconnect tone.
La Hacienda, or La Ha, as it was commonly known, closed briefly this winter for repairs, according to a staffer at the time.
This becomes the second La Hacienda to close in the KVOE listening area. The Department of Revenue also seized a La Hacienda in Burlington for nonpayment of retail sales and liquor taxes totaling almost $13,500. Calls to the restaurant are not answered.
It has not been determined whether ownership is the same with these restaurants.
Auction details are pending with both restaurants.
