Bill ‘Golden’ Gates, the world’s richest man, faces a dent in his $38bn fortune in the shape of a $600,000 tax bill on his $53m lakeside mansion in Seattle. Local tax officials had to fix the figure from records as Gates did not want officials tramping round the 20-room property. He has no plans to appeal against the valuation. He plans to pay his taxes like everybody else, said a Microsoft Corp spokeswoman. The mansion, in the exclusive enclave of Medina, features a 60 ft L-shaped swimming pool with piped underwater music and a dining room that can seat 100.
