Area 1 Committee Meeting Minutes
June 19, 2007
Teleconference

Designated Federal Official

• Fallacaro, Betsy - Boston, MA - LTA

Committee Members Present (These attendees count for quorum)

• Barry, Shaun - Franklin Square, NY - Member
• Colombo, Paul - Colchester, VY - Member
• Epstein, Harvey - Lee, NH - Member
• Gadon, Harold - Cranston, RI - Member
• Hom, Gim - Acton, MA - Member
• Jason, Julie - Greenwich, CT - Vice Chair
• Margulies, Howard - North Easton, MA - Member
• Parra, Luis - Bronx, NY - Member
• Whiteside, Deidra - Buffalo, NY - Member
• Zgoda, Bruce - Clarence, NY - Member

Committee Members Absent

• Chen, Betty - New York, NY - Member
• Havey, Dorothy - Lee, NH - Chair

TAP Staff

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

Other Attendees
Yandow, Robert - Millinocket, ME - Public Participant

Welcome/Announcements/Review Agenda
Jason welcomed all members and staff and informed the committee that Dorothy will not be present at this meeting.

Jenkins informed the committee that the meeting was an administrative meeting because the meeting was not announced in the Federal register. Luis Parra has resigned because he is relocating to Florida.

Roll Call
Quorum met

Face to Face Recap
Area 1 had a successful face to face meeting.

Joint Committee Report
Epstein represented Area 1 at the June 2007 Joint Committee meeting. 

Subcommittee Report-Out

Subcommittee 1

• The committee decided to table the Gold Star proposal and send out Area 1 Committee acknowledgements for any individuals they deem necessary.
• Audrey has been in touch with Jeff Bledsoe who was unable to attend this meeting but will be able to address the committee sometime in the near future on the 3-day rule and the ISP regulations. Audrey stated that she will be working with Barbara to make sure the VITA committee does take this on as an issue.
• BPOL (Banks, Post Offices and Libraries) program and the late distribution of forms to libraries. Audrey found out the distribution date this year was 3/27/07 which the committee feels is unacceptable. Audrey is having difficulties locating the SME to address the committee on the BPOL (forms at the Library). Audrey will ask Sue Sottile for assistance.
• Getting tax return information from the IRS:  During the face to face meeting Shaun requested a transcript via telephone, and received it in a week which he has posted to TapSpace. Audrey will check for contact information of the taxpayer who brought this issue to see if there is something more to this issue. If there is nothing else, the committee has decided to drop it.
• Form 944 and increasing the threshold to $5,000 to file this form (currently it's $2,500) – Committee decided not to take on this issue.
• Getting tax return information from the IRS:  Shaun succeeded in getting a transcript via phone without difficulty.  Getting a transcript does not appear to be a problem and probably we should drop this issue.  During the face to face meeting Shaun requested a transcript via telephone, and received it in a week which he has posted to TapSpace. Audrey will check for contact information of the taxpayer who brought this issue to see if there is something more to this issue. If there is nothing else, the committee has decided to drop it.
• Form 1099 - TP for a subsidy & W-4 Compliance: Audrey will send Deidra an email requesting an update for both the Form 1099 and the W-4 issues she brought forward. Audrey should also check to see if the IRS is monitoring this. The IRS should add this to the list of items they review to be sure that anyone who files for tax exempt is entitled to it.
  

Subcommittee 2

• Practitioner Pin - the proposal will be sent forward to the JC once it is polished. Knispel will forward to the committee to review before it goes forward.
• 1040 – Area 1 proposed that a line be included on the actual 1040 so you can include your estimated income tax. The committee will review and discuss this proposal before it goes forward to the JC. If anyone has any suggestions or comments they should go forward to subcommittee 2.
• Cost basis proposal – this proposal has been sent out to the committee and will now go forward to the JC.
• 1040x – This will be completed and the letter to Erickson is complete.  A copy of the revised letter will go out to the entire committee before it goes forward to the JC.

Outreach Report-out by Members
N/A

Issue Committee Update
Communication – Whiteside informed the committee that there is a new TAP Member Survey and a Returning Member Survey. All members are encouraged to complete these surveys.  TAPspace is being approved and will be revealed in August. Members are encouraged to enter their Bios on TAPspace.

TAP Office Report
Jenkins asked the members to please assist with the new member interview process. Although availability has been submitted there still has been some trouble in getting people to assist with the interviews.

Public Participation