With Monday's filing deadline looming, many Utahns have income taxes on their minds this weekend.
But instead of worrying about what you owe, you should check whether the Internal Revenue Service is holding onto money it owes you, according to a Utahn who is running for Congress. Democrat Donald Dunn, who is trying to unseat incumbent Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, released a list of 280 Utahns Friday who never received their tax refunds from the 1998 tax year.
"It's kind of like Utah's version of 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire?' " Dunn said. "But it's Uncle Sam giving the money away instead of Regis Philbin."
A total of $41,783 in federal tax refunds due Utahns was returned to the IRS last year because of bad addresses or other problems, Dunn said. The IRS holds onto the money, but it doesn't advertise how to claim it or publish names of those whose money it is, he said.
Dunn said if he were in Congress, he would sponsor legislation requiring the IRS to post on the Internet names of those owed unclaimed tax refunds. A bill to that effect is being drafted by Rep. Rush Holt, D-N.J.
"It's high time that the federal government catches up with 21st century technology, and it's high time the IRS becomes more user-friendly," Dunn said. "We must make it easier to unite taxpayers with their long-awaited refunds."
One Provo resident whose name was on the list released by Dunn said he didn't realize the IRS held a check that belonged to him.
"I would like to get it," said Kenzo Koshimura. "It got a little confusing because I was out of the country for a while, and my address changed."
Dunn's campaign obtained the list of names, hometowns and zip codes from the IRS. The agency would not release the exact amounts owed each person, but the top unclaimed refund in Utah was $971.
The list may be viewed on Dunn's campaign Web site www.donalddunn2000.com. Dunn advised those owed refunds to call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.
Dunn said his effort to reunite Utahns with their tax refunds is an illustration of the concern for Utah taxpayers he would demonstrate if elected to Congress. It also shows his commitment to making government accessible to people, he said.
Dunn, 28, of Salt Lake City, faces an uphill battle to unseat Cannon, the Republican incumbent. Utah's 3rd District includes the western portion of Salt Lake County and most of central and southeastern Utah.
The Democratic challenger hoped to use the tax-refund list as a way to generate publicity for himself and perhaps attract a few votes. While the prospect of getting money from the government made one resident in Dunn's district happy, the story is a little different when it comes to votes in November's election.
"I don't know if I can vote because I'm a foreigner," Koshimura said. "I'm here on a work permit."