July 18, 2003

Members in Attendance:

• Gwen Handelman
• Edward Hanna
• Keith Johnson
• Sharon Lassar
• Owen Oatley
• Buck Paolone
• George Sullivan
• Agnes Tillerson
• Steven Wood
• Carolyn Lewis - DFO

Staff:

• Sallie Chavez - TAP Analyst

Guests:

• Don Mainwaring - Director, Field Assistance Area

Welcome
Committee Chair Edward Hanna welcomed everyone and thanked committee members for being punctual.

Roll call
Roll was taken. Quorum was met.

Review of June 20, 2003 Minutes
The minutes were accepted by consensus.

Report by IRS Representative RE: Local Offices
Don Mainwaring, Director, Field Assistance Area, gave a short background on the local offices. They are the only component within the IRS that meets with taxpayers face-to-face on a daily basis. There are 400 offices with 60 offices in the Southeast. There are 350 permanent employees and 50 part-time employees. These employees work on such things as tax assistance, return preparation, tax law questions, account issues (payments and notice questions), and now they are piloting compliance work in this area where the employees will be assisting taxpayers in collection work.

Mr. Mainwaring then went to the questions that were provided to him in advance and answered them.

Q1. What type of security is the norm for local offices? Is it the same in all local offices? If not, what factors determine the differences? There is none evident in the Lake Charles, LA office.

A. There is no single answer to this question. It varies. GSA makes that type of determination and it is based on location, occupants, equipment, etc. Lake Charles is small. At present there is work on having alarms at each position. They are also working on controlled security at each office but this is based on funding. There is a "model" for each size office and the service is working to have all offices conform to this "model" as funding become available.

Q2. I heard in one of our teleconference meetings that there may be 45,000 "assistants" trained to help during the next tax-filing season. Will these individuals be volunteers or paid employees? Will they be assigned to local offices? Will there be input from the local offices RE their selection?

A. Can't answer that, as he doesn't have the information. There are only 2,200 people in the TAC (Taxpayer Assistance Centers) offices.

Q3. Is there a norm for the number of times the telephone rings before the message machine answers? When the local number is busy, why can't the answering machine answer with its message instead of my having to hear a busy signal & continue to redial to hear the message?

A. That depends on the phone line at the office. If it is a digital phone line then it can take more than one message at a time. Normally there are only one or two rings.

Q4. Why can't local offices be "one stop" assistance centers. It seems to me (with my limited knowledge) that there are different divisions & too much emphasis on Lafayette or New Orleans for answers to some questions.

A. He needs more information before he can answer this question. The centers strive to provide one stop service. They find it's more efficient that way. It's their goal. But some questions can't be answered and taxpayers are referred to telephone numbers where they can get answers. Some questions are outside the scope of assistors and they must seek assistance.

Q5. Are the days and hours of operation posted?

A. Yes. They are posted in the TACs, on the internet and on the telephone message.

Q6. Are IRS Agents available who speak Spanish?

A. Some offices do. It depends on the area. There are always the phone interpreters that can be called to assist.

Q7. Do the offices have translation services available in person or by phone?

A. There is a translation service available via the telephone if an employee is not available. Mr. Mainwaring will get a list of languages available for this service.

Q8. Are there separate cubicles? If so, how many are there at each location?

A. It depends on the office size. There is a template for offices depending on the size of the office. A small office has less than four (4) employees, a medium size office has five (5) to nine (9) employees and a large office has ten (10) or more. There are both counters and workstations in each office. Each office will be set up according to these templates depending on budget.

Q9. Can taxpayers or their representatives request conferences in private rooms?

A. Yes, depending on the availability of a room. Arrangements can always be made in advance.

Q10. Do the Agents have nametags?

A. All field assistance employees are required to wear name badges. Names badges have employee's name and employee number.

Q11. Is tax return assistance available? If so, is this posted?

A. Yes it is available. It is limited to income of $35,000 or less. Return preparation will only be done electronically. Some is done by paper such as the Heavy Vehicle Use Tax. All return preparation is done by appointment.

Q12. Is e-filing available? If so, is this posted?

A. Yes. The IRS wants to only file electronically.

Q13. Are there posters advising taxpayers about TAP, TAS and multilingual services?

A. Each office has standard signage. There is a reference to the Taxpayer Advocate Service that states they will accept Form 911. There are no signs on the TAP. They previously had CAP signs but they were however removed when the CAP became the TAP. Some offices have multi-lingual signs that say they provide multi-lingual assistance.

Q14. Have Agents been instructed to be helpful and friendly?

A. Yes. There is a "zero tolerance" for discourteous service. Feedback received indicates very little problem in this area.

Q15. Is there a local telephone number and address shown in the directory?

A. Yes. This was mandated by the restructuring act commonly know as the "3709 lines" since 3709 was the restructuring section.

Q16. Are telephone messages in Spanish as well as in English?

A. Yes in area were there is a heavy Spanish population such as South Florida.

Q17. If there is a recorded message does it allow for a taxpayer to speak with a person or to leave a message to be returned within 48 hours?

A. There is no individual available to answer this line. Depending on the type of call, different individuals may be needed to make callbacks. Many of the calls need to be referred to the toll-free number.

Q18. Can a taxpayer call or write to schedule an appointment?

A. Taxpayer can call to make an appointment but no appointments will be taken in writing.

Q19. Is there on site security? If so, please describe it.

A. This question was answered in #1.

Q20. What provisions are there for communications in languages other than Spanish and English?

A. The Over the Phone Interpreter Service provides this service. Mr. Mainwaring will provide the languages used.

Q21. Can taxpayers get forms at the offices? If so, what is the procedure to obtain forms not on site?

A. All TAC offices have forms and publications available. Forms and publications are also available by using the internet, fax by phone or by calling the toll-free forms number.

Q22. What is the procedure and timing to get taxpayers' payments, stop action notices, powers of attorney, or other timely information into the system?

A. Payments are mailed to the servicing campus within 24 hours of receipt. It may take several weeks to be posted to the account. Power of attorney forms are processed within 24 hours of receipt.

Committee Chair Ed Hanna opened up the discussion to the entire committee for questions. Committee Member Gwen Handelman wanted additional information on questions #8. Are the cubicles "sound proof"? Mr. Mainwaring stated they are not sound proof. There is limited privacy in the new model. They will have noise reduction. Panel Member Handelman also wanted clarification on #11. Can the taxpayer be assisted in filing by paper such as with the new EITC precertification forms? Mr. Mainwaring stated that TAC employees will assist taxpayer with the EITC precertication forms. Committee Member Handelman also asked about #12. Is it posted that there is electronic filing available? Mr. Mainwaring stated he did not see that in the signage. He does not think it is posted. Committee Member Handelman asked about #17. Does the taxpayer have the option to leave a message? Mr. Mainwaring stated the taxpayer can leave a message. All calls are returned either within 24 or 48 hours. There was some discussion about the return calls. Two (2) members stated that they had called and left messages and received no call back. The problem offices were Tampa and Ft. Myers. Mr. Mainwaring requested specific information on both of these incidences.

Committee Member Agnes Tillerson asked about the Customer Satisfaction Survey. Mr. Mainwaring stated that every taxpayer is given a survey card to complete and either drop in a box at the office or mail in. The responses received at in the 4.5 range (out of 5). Committee Member Tillerson stated that the St. Mary's, Georgia telephone book had no IRS local office listed in it. Mr. Mainwaring stated that he doesn't think an IRS office will be listed if there is no office in that city.

Committee Member Buck Paolone asked if the survey was standardized or specific to each office. Mr. Mainwaring stated it is specific and standardized. Every taxpayer gets the same survey and can drop it off or mail it in. It is sent to a contractor who processes the survey results for the service. Committee Member Paolone asked how often the translator service is used. Mr. Mainwaring stated that it is under contract and he doesn't have the information but can get it from them. Committee Member Paolone asked if the local offices could post signs for TAP? Mr. Mainwaring stated that request would have to go through the Taxpayer Advocate Service. Committee Member Paolone asked how employees make suggestions. Mr. Mainwaring stated that they can use the website or they can make suggestions during employee/manager meetings.

Committee Chair Ed Hanna asked if there would be any objections to having TAP committee members go to offices. Mr. Mainwaring stated there would be no objections.

Committee Member Keith Johnson asked if there was a guarantee that the employees who answer the telephone calls would be friendly and give high quality service? Designate Federal Official Carolyn Lewis stated that this was not a question for Mr. Mainwaring, as he only dealt with field assistance not the toll-free telephones.

Mr. Mainwaring concluded by saying he would follow-up with the following items:

1. Tampa and Ft. Myers offices - please send him specific information on these calls and he will respond.
2. St. Mary's, Georgia telephone book listing - he will go to headquarters and pose the questions. He understands this is not unique to this area.
3. Customer Satisfaction Survey - Analyst Sallie Chavez will get this survey card from the local office.
4. Over the phone interpreter - he will try to get the volume of use for area and country.
5. TAS will request posting of TAP posters.

Committee Chair Ed Hanna thanked Mr. Mainwaring for attending the meeting and answering the committee's questions.

Area 3 TAP Issues

Estimated Tax Payments
Committee Chair Ed Hanna discussed this issue. This issue would allow a practitioner on previous year to request information on a taxpayer's estimated tax payments. By consensus it was agreed to elevate this issue. Committee Chair Hanna will write it up and send it to the Joint Committee.

Offer In Compromise
Committee Member Owen Oately stated the information had been sent to committee members concerning a rejected Offer In Compromise. He would like the committee's opinion on this rejection. This will be discussed at the next meeting.

Telephone Listing/Answering Quality
Since Sub-Committee Chair Tim Jarrell was not able to attend the meeting, Sub-Committee Member Buck Paolone discussed the matrix on the telephone issue. He stated that he had requested the routing of telephone calls from TAP Manager Nancy Ferree but he has not received it yet. He feels the committee needs to call the 800 numbers and record the "branches". This is very labor intensive. What is needed is what is appropriate for taxpayer's needs.

Committee Chair Ed Hanna told Sub-Committee Member Paolone to go ahead and assign committee members to the issues. Sub-Committee Member Paolone stated that ony two (2) people had volunteered. Committee Chair Hanna asked everyone to please volunteer to work on this issue. He stated no other new issues will be taken up until next fiscal year.

Sub-Committee Member Paolone state that he still needs to get information from TAP Manager Nancy Ferree about who does telephone listings. He also would like to have the information about they survey questions from the phone operating system. He has received the TAS survey questions. DFO Carolyn Lewis has sent these results to TAP Manager Nancy Ferree. Sub-Committee Member Paolone stated that Area 2 was also working on this issue.

Need for specialist on clergy returns
TAP Program Analyst Chavez has discussed this issue with an employee at the Atlanta campus. He would be willing to provide detailed information directly to the committee at the next meeting if the committee would like. Committee Chair Ed Hanna stated that would be a good idea. He asked that committee members provide TAP Program Analyst Chavez with any questions that they would like to have answered by this employee.

New Issues
TAP Analyst Sallie Chavez reported there were two (2) referrals this month but one (1) did not have enough information to be able to present it. A letter has been sent to the individual to request more specific information about her problem. The other suggestion was to have the 1040ES payments follow the business quarters - such as 1st quarter be due April 30 instead of April 15, 2nd quarter be due July 31 instead of June 15, 3rd quarter be due October 31 instead of September 15 and 4th quarter be due January 31 instead of January 15. Committee Chair Ed Hanna stated that he thought the 1040ES dates were created for budgetary reasons however the taxpayer makes sense. Committee Member Gwen Handelman stated that it was a good idea to look into it. She feels it would be useful to get the "Criteria to Elevate Suggestions" from the Joint Committee. Committee Chair Hanna will send these out to all committee members.

New Business
Committee Chair Ed Hanna stated that the Annual Meeting is scheduled for October 1 - 4, 2003. The meeting will be held on the 2nd and 3rd (full days) and on the 4th for half of the day. The meeting will be held in Washington, DC at the Grand Hyatt.

Committee Chair Ed Hanna reminded everyone of TAPSpeak. The web address is:

taxpspeak@fedworx.org

Try and pull it up at least once a week and take a look at it. If you have any problems, contact TAP Analyst Chavez for assistance.

Committee Chair Ed Hanna discussed the "checkbox" issue. He wants to know how much we can do. He wants to have it expanded. A letter is being sent to counsel to see what can be done.

TAP Program Analyst Chavez will send out survey. Please respond directly to her.

Meeting Close
Committee Chair Ed Hanna thanked everyone for his or her time.

The next meeting is schedule for the August 22, 2003.

Meeting was adjourned.