Blackstone, KFC Lose Appeals to Supreme Court

The Supreme Court won't stop Iowa from forcing KFC to pay nearly $250,000 in corporate income taxes, even though it had no restaurants or employees in the state.

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The high court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from the fried-chicken giant, which a decision by that state's Supreme Court overturned. KFC is a unit of Yum! Brands .

All KFC restaurants in Iowa are independent franchises, whose owners pay KFC for the use of its logo and systems. But the Iowa Department of Revenue and Finance assessed the company more than $248,000 in unpaid corporate income taxes, including interest and penalties, in 2001. The taxes were for 1997 to 1999.