Fla. powerbroker owed $69M in taxes

TAMPA, Fla., June 23 (UPI) -- U.S. tax officials say Florida conservative political power broker Ralph Hughes died owing tens of millions of dollars to the government.

Hughes, a wealthy businessman who helped shape politics in Tampa, Fla., and Hillsborough County with his contributions to anti-tax and small government candidates, owed more than $69 million in unpaid income and business taxes and interest when he died last year at age 77, the Tampa Tribune reported Tuesday.

The Internal Revenue Service says Hughes's widow and two of his three children are contesting that estimate by arguing the concrete products company owner paid millions of dollars in taxes.

Hughes's critics say he essentially "bought" a majority of the Hillsborough County Commission by aggressively supporting conservative Republican county commissioners Jim Norman and Ken Hagan, as well as former commissioners Brian Blair and Ronda Storms, the newspaper said.

His son, Shea Hughes, told the Tribune the IRS probe is related to Hughes's corporate earnings rather than his personal tax liability.

"My dad paid every dime that he owed personally and always would and always has," Shea Hughes said.