Area 1 Committee Meeting Minutes
April 15, 2008

Designated Federal Official

• Morizio, Louis

Committee Members Present

• Hom, Gim
• Jackson, Robert
• Jason, Julie
• Leggett, John
• Margulies, Howard
• Whiteside, Deidra
• Yandow, Robert
• Zgoda, Bruce

Committee Members Absent

• Barry, Shaun

TAP Staff

• Jenkins, Audrey
• Odom, Meredith

Other Attendees

• Romano, Fran, Local Taxpayer Advocate - Connecticut

Welcome/Announcements/Review Agenda
Paul Colombo resigned and the alternate from Vermont, Ramona Sheppard will step in and fill his position starting in December.

Roll Call
Quorum Met

DFO Report
Morizio informed everyone that the Area 1 face to face meeting is scheduled for May 2-3, 2008, in Boston, MA.

Joint Committee Report
Bruce Zgoda informed members on the recruitment status.  There were a few Area recommendations that were elevated.  The Joint Committee will meet in June in St. Louis.  There was discussion on the Stimulus Package and the role of members getting the word out.

LTA Outreach
Fran Romano thanked the members for inviting him to join the call.  In Connecticut, the Local Taxpayer Advocate meets with the congressional staff.  This is done by going to Washington, DC and delivering Nina Olson’s report to congress and in Connecticut the local congressional members meet and Romano gives an overview on what’s going on in the Taxpayer Advocate Service.  Grass-roots efforts is another means of outreach in the Connecticut area.  The goal is to complete 50 to 60 grass root outreaches a year.  Romano sends out letters to different organizations including; libraries, Chambers of Commerce and other organizations that deal with taxpayers with disabilities.  Romano always reaches out to TAP members in his state requesting them to attend these meetings.

Morizio encourages members to contact their area Local Taxpayer Advocates to attend outreaches like this in there states.

Subcommittee Report-Out
Subcommittee 1
Hom and members discussed the issue of late 1099s.  The committee discussed S-Corp and LLC’s and what is considered salary verses dividend and will continue the discussion at the face to face meeting in May.  Internet income which isn’t reported contributed to the tax gap will also be discussed at the face to face meeting.  The ability to pay your estimated tax with your 1040 Form was also discussed.

Subcommittee 2
Whiteside and members discussed the W4 issue and will write it up at the face to face meeting.  Leggett is working on the reinstating of problem solving day proposal.  The committee will work on the Innocent Spouse Process, the IRM manual, the Offer in Compromise and the 1099C.

Elevated Issues
Hom encourages members to review the proposal that was sent out by Jenkins.  This proposal is in reference to having the ability to pay your estimated tax payment with your 1040.  The goal statement is to make it possible for taxpayers to send their tax return, tax payment and firs quarter estimated tax payment all to the same address.

By consensus, this proposal will be approved and will be forwarded to the Joint Committee.

Office Report
Audrey Y. Jenkins, Louis Morizio, Shaun Barry, Rob Yandow and Betsy Fallacaro are working to finalize the Agenda for the face to face meeting.  A visit to the congressional office as well as a visit to the TAS in Boston along with having subject matter experts come in to address the committee.

Meredith Odom mailed out travel packages to the members for the face to face meeting.

Congratulations to Meredith Odom she has been selected as the Junior Analyst in the Brooklyn Office.

Public Participation
None

Round Robin/Outreach
Bruce Zgoda has done some small outreaches at meetings during breakfast.

John Leggett will be doing an outreach soon.

Robert Jackson hasn’t done any outreach.

Howard Margulies has been leaving flyers at local libraries and small business.

Gim Hom has been encouraging people to apply to become a TAP Member.

Julie Jason did a presentation to the Connecticut Bar Association and will do another in June. 

Deidra Whiteside did some networking with the HR people in her office to push recruitment to contact a diverse group of people and also got the word out at some colleges.

Closing Remarks
Louis Morizio reminds members to contact anyone they might know that applied to the panel to go in to complete their application.

Louis Morizio informed members that staff is working hard on speeding up this year’s recruitment process.  If any members are interested in participating on the interview panel for recruitment must let Audrey Y. Jenkins know.

Audrey Y. Jenkins reminded members to please send her an email reporting outreach so the Area will get credit for it.