The most important task a government official will do, at any level, is the proper administration of funds paid into authority coffers by its citizens.

While it’s popular to complain about paying taxes, those dollars pay the salaries of the people who assist a municipality’s residents in a multitude of ways.

So it may be concerning to some that one individual who is seeking an open seat on the Lincoln County Commission who has some issues in that regard.

Tony Wickham, a prominent figure in local politics for the last few years, is seeking the seat currently held by District 2’s Jim Hammons. Hammons is retiring next month.

The commissioner in the district represents more than 6,500 citizens living in Troy, Yaak, Bull Lake, Savage Lake, Sylvanite and McCormick. Wickham lives on Kootenai River Road, just inside the Troy district border.

A review of Lincoln County District Court and Justice Court records as well as those in Winnebago County, Wisconsin where Wickham previously resided, showed multiple instances of a failure to timely pay individual income and property taxes totaling tens of thousands of dollars. 

Wickham addressed the matters with The Western News.

“In the case of the Wisconsin Department of Revenue, all matters were resolved with amended tax returns that confirmed no delinquent taxes were owed,” Wickham said. “A similarly amended return to the State of Montana will demonstrate that no tax liability is owed. All other debts were negotiated and settled.”

"In conversation with the Montana Department of Revenue, they state that when determing tax liability they only consider gross revenue. My legal tax write-offs will be substantial due to Covid in 2020, 2021 and 2022.

“In addition, an amended return will eliminate any tax liability owed to the state of Montana,” he said.

According to county officials in Wisconsin, the debts in the Winnebago cases have all been satisfied, meaning the money owed was paid in full.

In the most recent case, the Montana Department of Revenue filed a warrant for distraint Sept. 29 against Wickham in Lincoln County District Court.

In this case, Wickham owed a total of $19,189.97 for individual income taxes he allegedly didn’t pay for tax years 2022 and 2023. The previously unpaid taxes totaled $11,156. Interest owed was $2,482.67 and penalties were $5,550.89.

As of Oct. 23, court records indicate Wickham has not yet paid the delinquent taxes.

In April 2023, in Lincoln County Justice Court, Citibank sought the payment of $9,876.69 from Wickham after he allegedly didn’t make payments from charges to a Home Depot credit card. Later that year, in August, Citibank dismissed the action.

In Winnebago County, Wisconsin Department of Revenue officials placed multiple liens on a property Wickham owned in the town of Neenah. They totaled $77,369.

In 2019, one case was filed March 28 for $26,173. It was paid Aug. 15, 2019.

In 2021, multiple cases were filed. 

A Feb. 8 case for $3,178 was satisfied Sept. 27. A March 15 filing for $4,007 was also settled Sept. 27. An April 20 filing for $2,455 was paid Dec. 6. 

An April 27 filing for $2,613 was also paid Dec. 6. A June 3 case for $38,943 was settled Sept. 17.

Wickham is one of three candidates that the Lincoln County Republican Central Committee submitted on to the current board of county commissioners. District 1 Commissioner Brent Teske and District 3 Commissioner Noel Duram will decide on Hammons’ replacement.

In terms of working with other county employees, Wickham believes he’ll work very well with them.

“Personally and professionally, I work to develop effective working relationships that ultimately deliver both effective outcomes and results, along with good relationships with my colleagues,” he said. “I respect people, who they are and what is important to them in their lives, both in and outside of work. As a professional, I also strongly desire to deliver results, solve problems and ensure that departments, teams and individuals operate effectively and align with the mission, objectives and personal results.  

“As a leader, I have always worked to balance the needs and development of people, with the needs of the business or organization. Building people's skills, capabilities and character is paramount to consistently delivering results. And in so doing, people win both individually and as a team.  

“Ultimately, leaders should be proud of their overall results and the accomplishments of the teams and individuals that delivered them. Team members should feel a strong sense of ownership of the results and accomplishment.  This breeds a winning culture!  One that everyone is proud to work in.”

Mike Robert Lee and John Boyke are the other candidates. The matter is on the commission agenda at 10:45 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28.

Reviews of county district court and county justice court files indicated neither Lee nor Boyke had any similar issues.