Area 1 Committee Meeting Minutes
October 17, 2006
Teleconference

Designated Federal Official

• Ramirez, Sandra - Brooklyn, NY - Manager
• Fallacaro, Betsy - Boston, MA - LTA

Committee Members Present

• Barry, Shaun - Franklin Square, NY - Member
• Epstein, Harvey - Lee, NH - Vice Chair
• Gadon, Harold - Cranston, RI - Member
• Margulies, Howard - North Easton, MA - Member
• Parra, Luis - Bronx, NY - Member

Committee Members Absent

• Havey, Dorothy - Lincolnville, ME - Chair
• Hom, Gim - Acton, MA - Member
• Searleman, Sanford - Glens Falls, NY - Member
• Zgoda, Bruce - Clarence, NY - Member

TAP Staff

• Jenkins, Audrey - Brooklyn, NY - Analyst
• Knispel, Marisa - Brooklyn, NY - Analyst
• Odom, Meredith - Brooklyn, NY - Secretary

Other Attendees
N/A

Welcome

Roll Call (quorum has been met)

JC Report Out
Margulies – The downloadable Forms. The 3908 issue was removed. The 3734, 3758, 3908 and 3670. Some of the forms printed from the website are not machine readable. The JC wants Area 1, 3 & 4 to form a small subcommittee to combine all of the issues. Form 8453 Usage reduction was sent back to Area 1 for clarification of the proposed solution, the JC didn’t like the wording. The interest Rate Proposal that went out informing taxpayers of the interest they would be paying, had 2 word changes in the goal statement. Jenkins will provide the committee with this information. The 2445C letter, improvements to language was approved but there was an error. The Form 1040V was approved. The JC approved the search by keyword recommendation. The elections for the TAP Chair/Vice Chair will be on the first full day of the Annual Meeting. There was a suggestion to change committee meetings to bi-monthly. This suggestion came about to benefit TAP staff as well as members.

Ramirez – The annual assessment was discussed and it will cover the period of January 1 – December 31, 2006. They will be due on December 31. The members must complete a portion of the assessment. There will be pre-meeting calls with only the new members. These calls will cover everything pertaining to the Annual Meeting. Members are encouraged to be more engaged in volunteer participation. The Communication Committee put out a strategic objective plan which was approved by the JC. A working plan came out of this. The Seattle office has a new Analyst. The list of new members is in the Commissioner’s office. A suggestion was made at the JC meeting to have alternates join in on committee meetings. Brubaker came up with the idea of becoming a mentor to the new members, and all members will be given his outline and are expected to give feedback. There will be a Social Gathering the first night for the entire panel and staff. This will take place at the Capitol City Grill which is located close to the hotel. Everyone is encouraged to attend this gathering.

Subcommittee Report-Out
Subcommittee 1
Epstein – There was no discussion of any new issues.

Barry – Raised an issue related to Social Security overpayment.  A taxpayer received a letter stating they overpaid and a refund of a certain amount will be sent. When the taxpayer received the refund the amount of money was different then the amount of the check, there is no indication that the interest portion of that was going to be taxable and the taxpayer would be receiving a 1099 from the IRS saying this income is now taxable. Subcommittee 1 will adopt this issue. Barry will write a proposal.

Subcommittee 2
Gadon – 8453 had some changes. The electronic payments issue will not move forward. All new issues will be held until the Annual Meeting. The database 4008 1040 estimated tax payment went forward to the JC and was approved.

Outreach Report-out by Members
Gadon – Attended a meeting held by IRS practitioners.

Barry – A friend of his works for an organization called the Broadcasting Board of Governors in Washington DC. This agency that oversees voice of America and all of the radio and television outlets the US Government broadcast into non-free nations. Barry met with him and explained the role of TAP and he is considering bringing forth to the organization whether they should start to do a story for some of their media outlets on TAP and how it’s a very democratic way of getting citizens involved in their communities and how the government work. This may include having some of the members interviewed and Coston, the TAP Director.
 
Margulies – Is trying to coordinate Coston or someone else from TAP to speak at a meeting for the National Association of Federal Credit Unions.

Issue committee Update
Gadon – VITA committee has been reviewing new training manuals for the upcoming year.

Epstein – VITA has been working on the VITA certification and a major change will be taking place.

Barry – Burden Reduction Committee is trying to develop a proposal on misclassification.

Margulies – N/A

Other Comments/Questions
Ramirez – Thanked Margulies for attending the JC meeting representing Area 1.

New Issues
Barry

Recap New Action Items
Jenkins will provide the subcommittees with all of the corrections the JC had on all Area 1 issues.

Public Participation
N/A