Ga. House speaker paid $1,300 in late Dawson Co. taxes

ATLANTA - House Speaker David Ralston has paid about $1,300 in late taxes due on a property owned by his wife.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Monday that Ralston paid the bill last week after the newspaper contacted him about the outstanding bill. Ralston spokesman Marshall Guest called the late payment an oversight.

The property near Dawsonville is owned by Jane Ralston. Records show local officials filed the tax lien in April for unpaid taxes, penalties and interest. Taxes have been paid late on the property for the last four years.

Ralston paid more than $400,000 to the U.S. government in 2007 to settle overdue tax bills. He blamed the problems on a bookkeeper who later pleaded guilty to embezzlement. Before that, he paid thousands of dollars in late taxes to the state.