"Fulfilling the Commission's charter includes identifying the problems average taxpayers face with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and coming up with meaningful solutions," said Grassley. "We want to hear from Iowans about their experiences with the IRS."
According to Grassley, the IRS' poor track record needs to be fixed before it can begin to rehabilitate its public image and improve taxpayer service. In addition to its failed computer modernization project that wasted about $4 billion tax dollars, the IRS has faced additional scrutiny for not cracking down on employees who unnecessarily searched taxpayer files, including celebrity tax records.
Appointed to the bipartisan 17-member Commission last year, Grassley has led efforts in the Senate to keep the IRS accountable as a member of the Senate Finance subcommittee on taxation and IRS oversight. Authorized for one-year, the Commission this summer plans to report the results of its review to Congress, along with recommendations for restructuring the federal tax collecting agency.
In the last year, the Commission has reviewed the agency's infrastructure and modernization efforts; the processing of forms, returns and collections; management of taxpayer accounts; services for taxpayers; and the culture of disregard for taxpayer rights. Grassley has continued his focus on taxpayer relations and is seeking to make the IRS more "user-friendly."
"I encourage Iowans to take this opportunity to make representative government work," he said. "We're coming to Des Moines to gain insight from the grassroots."
For those who are interested in attending or providing testimony, contact Clarke Scanlon in Grassley's Des Moines office, at 515/284-4890, by Friday, May 9.