Thursday, March 19, 2009

Scofflaw councilman no stranger to controversy

This week I wrote about an Alamance County man named William "Bob" Hupman, who owes the state of North Carolina $2.2 million in back taxes. The Mebane city councilman tops the state revenue department's list of people and companies that owe more than $500 million in delinquent taxes.

The article brought Hupman some unwelcome attention.

One Triad TV station found that he also owes the IRS $4 million. It found a federal lien filed in 2004.

Another station interviewed people around Mebane. Councilman Ed Hooks told WFMY the city is powerless to kick Hupman off the council. "I can't explain it, I think it's a phenomenon that is... strange," he said. "In other cities he would have been voted off immediately."

Hupman, who faces re-election this year, has had more than tax problems.

Last month, the N.C. Attorney General's office decided not to pursue charges against him after reviewing findings from an SBI investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct. A woman reported the allegations to the Mebane Police Department last May.

In 2007, a Mebane man pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of trying to run over Hupman in his car. The driver was originally charged with felony assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill.

"I'm a thick-skinned son-of-a-gun," Hupman told a reporter recently.

6 comments:

JAT said...

Seems like this points up a hole in the non-partisan town board concept, the type of board Hupman serves on.

Were candidates required to run past a party gate-keeper, presumably the party would have an incentive to excise tax deadbeats lest the entire party be stained.

Hupman is a registered GOPer according to state records.

Anonymous said...

Where's the Republican outrage over this one? He owes *$6 MILLION* in back taxes but still found a way to contribute to Liddy Dole's campaign...hmmmmm. Google him and find out all the other lovely things he's been in trouble for; the list is long.

Anonymous said...

Stories like this simply confirm that politics tends to attract the unscrupulous dregs of society.

Anonymous said...

You can tell he's a piece of scum just by looking at his face.

Anonymous said...

Oh look it's Vilma Leake dressed as a white man.

Anonymous said...

Huffman or Hupman? Get it straight.