John Heller, Post-Gazette Plaxico Burress believes he does not owe taxes in Pennsylvania. Click photo for larger image.

Plaxico Burress and his representatives claim that the former Steelers receivers didn't drop the ball on any unpaid taxes here.

Despite a complaint filed in Coraopolis alleging that Burress failed to pay Moon township and school taxes between 1998 and 2002 -- he wasn't drafted and signed by the Steelers until 2000 -- the receiver's agent and local tax lawyer said yesterday that there isn't any such money owed.

Attorney Chuck Potter maintained that Burress has been a resident of Florida since being drafted eighth overall from Michigan State and coming to the Steelers in 2000. While he was working for the Steelers, catching 22, 66, 78 and 35 passes his four seasons with the club, the front office withheld City of Pittsburgh taxes on the roughly $15 million that Burress earned. Potter added that he checked with Pittsburgh officials yesterday, and they ensured him that his client was "completely up to date and paid in full."

Potter also said that yesterday he telephoned Keystone Municipal Collections, the agency seeking an unspecified amount over a 1 percent tax split between the township and school district, and officials there were satisfied with Burress' contention that he was officially a nonresident while living part-time in Moon between 2000 and 2003 -- provided his lawyers send them proper documentation of that.

"They agreed they would drop it" then, said Potter, who planned to begin such paperwork after Memorial Day. "They had no facts."

Then again, Potter added that he knew nothing of Moon officials seeking these taxes until the past two days, even though a complaint was filed March 21 in the office of Coraopolis District Justice Mary Murray and an appearance at a hearing for a delinquent tax claim was scheduled April 27 and continued to 10 a.m. Wednesday. Burress missed the hearing and knew nothing of the back-tax allegations. Potter ascribed that to the notices for both the Moon taxes and the court date being sent to Burress' Washington's Landing townhouse, where the newly signed New York Giants free agent no longer lives. Murray issued an arrest warrant for Burress, 28, Thursday, meaning he could be arrested and fined $2,500 upon returning to Pennsylvania.

Telephone messages to Keystone Municipal Collections weren't returned yesterday.

Burress claims a homestead exemption in Florida, Potter said, and that renders him a nonresident for however long he lives elsewhere during the year.

"A nonresident pays where he is employed," Potter said. "A resident pays where he lives. He's never been a resident in Pennsylvania, for tax purposes. And you don't have to pay twice, not even in the United States."

In addition to the collection agency, Potter spoke with Burress' other lawyers and new agent Drew Rosenhaus, who, like Burress, is a resident of Miami Beach.

"I spoke with Plax's accountant, and he informed me everything's A-OK," Rosenhaus said. "My understanding is there isn't any type of legal problem. I believe this was a misunderstanding, and there won't be any problems in the future."