YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - A candidate for the 7th District Court of Appeals has more than $100,000 in federal tax liens, for personal income taxes owed.

Attorney David Engler will be on the primary ballot as a candidate for judge for the 7th District Court of Appeals, but according to documents filed with the Mahoning County Recorder's Office, Engler owes $170,633 dollars in taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.

The tax liens date back seven years, to December 31st of 2006.

So the question is, how can Attorney Engler manage a public position if his own personal house is not in order?

Engler says things are not always as they appear.

"There's a dispute, an on-going dispute, that that's not the correct amount that's owed. So what you do in particular, when you're in business like I have been, signing the front of a paycheck, hiring people, keeping people employed both in my technology company I own, and in my law practice, you have to continue to work with the IRS to resolve these issues and get to the number that's accurate," Engler said.

Engler claims his state taxes are up to date.

His opponent in the 7th District Court of Appeals race, Anthony Donofrio, declined comment on Engler's tax liens, saying, he doesn't feel it's appropriate and he wants to run a positive campagin.