Author Topic: Werfel back in hot seat  (Read 799 times)

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Offline Rapunzel

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Werfel back in hot seat
« on: June 27, 2013, 03:58:59 am »
http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/1007-other/308009-overnight-money-


Werfel back in hot seat
By Vicki Needham - 06/26/13 06:00 PM ET

THURSDAY'S BIG STORY:

My, that's a toasty seat: Internal Revenue Service acting director Danny Werfel will get another turn in the hot seat on Thursday to chat with lawmakers about the revelations in his 30-day review of the agency, the details of which hit with a thud on Monday.

As it turns out, the IRS was still improperly screening groups seeking tax-exempt status when Werfel took over in May — about two weeks after the targeting actions were revealed.

Top congressional Democrats have argued that the agency also singled out liberal groups by putting them on the "be on the lookout" lists it used to flag applications that needed more attention.

Werfel said he has suspended use of those so-called BOLO lists.

Lawmakers are sure to remind Werfel that they will be watching the agency's progress and will call him back for updates.

President Obama appointed Werfel last month and ordered the review after the IRS acknowledged the extra scrutiny.

On Wednesday, a government watchdog said that IRS officials did not have enough guidance in reviewing applications for tax-exempt status.


Nina Olson, the national taxpayer advocate, said the agency had violated a number of taxpayer rights in its targeting efforts.

Olson blamed managerial problems and what she calls a “cultural difficulty” between the taxpayer advocate and the exempt organization division for the targeting. Her recommendations include the IRS posting its procedures online, and allowing up to $1,000 in compensation to aggrieved groups.

But the taxpayer advocate said that the “crisis” at the agency is far broader than just the targeting of Tea Party groups.

“The real crisis facing the IRS — and therefore taxpayers — is a radically transformed mission coupled with inadequate funding to accomplish that mission,” Olson said in a statement accompanying her mid-year report.

“As a consequence of this crisis, the IRS gives limited consideration to taxpayer rights or fundamental tax administration principles as it struggles to get its job done.”



« Last Edit: June 27, 2013, 03:59:27 am by Rapunzel »
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Oceander

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Re: Werfel back in hot seat
« Reply #1 on: June 27, 2013, 04:24:47 am »
The Taxpayer Advocate is a really neato public speaking engagement, but that office is largely anti-taxpayer and almost wholly useless where it counts - when a taxpayer cannot figure out how to resolve a problem with the IRS.  In point of fact, too many of the personnel in the taxpayer advocates office are advocates for the IRS, not for the taxpayer - I have been lectured by several of them about how the taxpayer in question must comply with this rule and comply with that rule, when part of the problem is the current inability to comply, and given the conclusion that until the taxpayer is in compliance there is nothing the taxpayer advocate can do.