{Charleston, West Virginia}...Kanawha County Commissioners have agreed to hire Attorney Jonathan Deem with the Charleston law firm Bailey & Glasser to collect taxes allegedly owed to the county by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Deem says the companies have not been paying transfer taxes when deeds are transferred in counties around the state, and the companies are claiming they do not have to pay taxes on the transactions because they are federal agencies. Deem says the law firm is talking to all 55 counties in the state to see if the commissions would like to join the lawsuit. Hancock and Marshall counties have already sued the companies over the nonpayment of taxes. Deem says the firm would charge one-third of what they collect from the agency, and no charges would be levied if the counties do not win the lawsuit.
