Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP)
Area 2 Committee
Committee’s Teleconference Meeting
June 20, 2007 @ 2:30 PM ET

Designated Federal Official (DFO)
Lois Lombardo, Local Taxpayer Advocate, Philadelphia, PA

Members Present
Bill Bly, Wayne, PA
Kimberly Brown, Blakeslee, PA, Vice-Chair
Ben Chapman, Wayne, NJ
Blanche Davis, Rehoboth Beach, DE
Steven Fulkrod, Bel Air, MD
Robert Haines, Lebanon, NJ
Sonny Kasturi, West Orange, NJ
Lynwood Sinnamon, Arlington, VA, Chair
Elizabeth Warnecki, Ladson, SC

Members Absent
Paul Brubaker, York, PA
Michael Bryant, Oakton, VA
Emilio Cecchi, N. Bethesda, MD
Carolyn Hutchinson, Fletcher, NC
Paul McElroy, Pfafftown, NC
William Yaeger, Alexandra, VA

Staff Present
Inez E. De Jesus, TAP Program Analyst & Acting TAP Manager
Anita Fields, TAP Staff Secretary & Note Taker

Guest Present
None

Welcome and Roll Call
Chair Lyn Sinnamon opened the meeting by welcoming everyone and asked TAP staff Anita Fields to take roll. We have a new DFO, Lois Lombardo she was introduced and she told a little about her background.

Quorum of (9) was met.

Joint Committee Report
Issue 4011 didn’t make it to Joint Committee and it has been returned to area 2 for revision.  They discussed three issues from area 1, 6 and 7.  There was a guest speaker present.  He is in charge of publications.  He wanted issues dealing with publication to be run by him before they are elevated.  They discussed the upcoming face–to- face.

Chair Lyn Sinnamon asked the members of the quality review team to send him a personal email referencing if they had adequate training to do quality review.  He will take that to the Joint Committee face to face meeting.

Review / Confirm Meeting Minutes: May 16, 2007
These minutes were approved by consensus.

New Issues (s)
Issue 4230, Extend Free File to All
After carefully reviewing, the screening committee is recommending that the issue be dropped at this time due to the current contract that the IRS has with free file participants.

Sonny Kasturi and Robert Haines stated that he disagrees with the recommendation.

The consensus was that the issue be placed in the parking lot and Sonny can independently work on the issue.

Report on TAC Visits by Area 2 Committee Members since the Last Teleconference Meeting

Kimberly Brown has completed Wilkesboro and Scranton.  She had to make a second visit to Wilkesboro. 

Blanche Davis visited TAC center in Georgetown, DE.  She was interested in forms.  They had plenty of forms.

Status Review on Issue 3743-Revise Form W-9 & Issue 3944, Class Action Proceeds
These issues were returned to us from the Joint Committee and Nancy Ferree is currently working on them. Nancy is not on the call today therefore we can’t get a status. 

Subcommittee Reports on Active Issues:
Issue 4061- Form W-4 Make it Easier for Minors
Blanche Davis is the lead.  She is working on a conference call for next week.  She needs to get a time when the members of the subcommittee will be available. 

Issue 4182- Form 1099-R Enhancements for seniors
Paul Brubaker is the lead.  Bill Bly stated that the subcommittee needs to set up a conference call.  Currently the issue is being worked.

TAP 206-031 Household Employees-Consensus on Status:
Recommendation was to Close Partially Accept.  The consensus of the committee is Closed Partially Accepted.

TAP 206-017 Self Employed & Free Tax Prep:
Paul Brubaker is lead but is not on the call.  There have been emails circulating and committee decided to give Paul a chance to read and give an updated status at next month’s meeting.

Outreach Events and Commitment Reports
Panel Member Kimberly Brown reported that there were 21 Outreaches for the Month of May.  Elizabeth Warnecki completed a TAC visit as part of Outreach.  She also reported on some information discussed at the Communication’s meeting.

Elizabeth Warnecki stated that the Communication Committee would like for all new members to send back their new member survey.  New TAP Space will come online 1 August 2007.  It was suggested that all members update their Bio’s on TAP Space and add photos. The new Vision Statement is out and it is suggested that this be added to your correspondence.  The annual report for 2006 has been reviewed and completed and should be out by the end of June 2007.  It was also suggested that members think of success stories-ways to enhance our presence at this year’s tax forums.

Public Input
No public input.

Closing Assessments- Q & A Meeting Survey
Ben Chapman mentioned the absence of committee members.  He wanted to know what they do when members don’t show without notice.  Chair Lyn Sinnamon advised that there are procedures in place to deal with non-attendance.

Chair adjourned the meeting. 

Next Teleconference Meeting: July 18, 2007 at 2:30 PM ET

*Certification of Meeting Minutes:  These minutes were approved by the TAP Area 2 Committee by consensus on July 18, 2007.