Area 3 Committee Meeting Minutes

April 16, 2004

Members in Attendance:

• Phil Bryant
• Charlotte Cassady
• Helen Curol
• Edward Hanna
• Sharon Lassar
• Owen Oatley
• Buck Paolone
• George Sullivan
• Agnes Tillerson
• Carolyn Lewis – DFO

Staff:

• Sallie Chavez – TAP Program Analyst
• Nancy Ferree – TAP Program Manager

Welcome
Committee Chair George Sullivan welcomed everyone to the April call. He stated there are a couple of members missing but we should get started.

Roll call
Roll was taken. Quorum was met.

Review of March 19, 2004 Minutes
Committee Chair George Sullivan asked if there was any discussion about the meeting minutes of March 19, 2004. There was none. The committee approved the March 19, 2004 meeting minutes by consensus.

New Issues/Referrals from Taxpayers
TAP Program Analyst stated that there was work being done on the Database that contains the referrals from taxpayers. She only found one (1) new issue and it was too late to get it out to everyone. It will be sent out to everyone for the May meeting.

Committee Member Owen Oatley stated he had a question about a trust extension and he had to leave a message. He received a call back yesterday. There was no “live” person to talk to. Their policy is to call back within 24 – 36 hours but this may not be enough time if the call comes in on April 15. He stated the software company thought the deadline for filing individual extensions was 10:00am on 4/15 but it has now been confirmed that is was 10:00am on 4/16. Committee Chair George Sullivan asked him to follow-up on this. Committee Member Ed Hanna asked was he only calling in and not sending a paper extension. Committee Member Oatley stated he doesn't file electronically. Committee Member Charlotte Cassady thinks it's a misunderstanding. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will contact Committee Member Oatley and confirm this.

Review of Assignments from Previous Meeting

TAP Program Analyst

1. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will e mail outline from Raymona Stickell to entire committee. TAP Program Analyst Chavez did this shortly after March conference call.
2. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez Email Area 6 proposal on the hold music to entire committee. Everyone confirmed that they had received this information.
3. Contact #2672 (Dependency issue where a parent that is the non-custodian is claiming the deduction for the child) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez w ill get a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to discuss this issue. TAP Program Analyst Chavez is attempting to contact a SME to address committee in New Orleans. Committee Member Ed Hanna stated he faxed some information to TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez about a tax case that may help on this issue. TAP Program Analyst Chavez has just received it and has not had time to read it through. Committee still wanted to have SME.
4. Contact #2704 (No tax prep on Monday and Friday in Ft. Myers TAC Office and there is no sign for the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will send a letter to individual thanking them for the information. TAP Program Analyst Chavez sent a letter to taxpayer on 4/13. Additionally, there should be signs up in the TAC offices since we are currently in the middle of recruiting so when committee members make their office visits they should see TAP signs. Committee Chair George Sullivan stated he also has this on the agenda for the May Joint Committee Meeting in Chicago.
5. Contact #2794 (wants to stop repeat examinations) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will close referral, as there is no taxpayer contact information. TAP Program Analyst Chavez has closed this referral.
6. Contact #2802 (want to change IRS online search engine) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will send letter to individual advising them to go on the IRS website and make suggestion directly on the website. TAP Program Analyst Chavez has sent an email to this taxpayer and closed the referral.
7. Contact #822 (processing of Form 2553 Election by a Small Business Corporation) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez along with DFO Carolyn Lewis will work on this issue. TAP Program Analyst Chavez and DFO Lewis have not been able to work on this. Will try to get it done this month.
8. Contact #2607 (Taxpayer did not receive his 1040 package) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will research this issue and report back at the next meeting. TAP Program Analyst Chavez has the name of a Subject Matter Expert but has not been able to discuss the issue with him. Will try and get him on the May call.

Committee Members

1. Committee Member Owen Oatley will work with Area 1 Committee Member Paul Nagel to rewrite the Schedule K-1 proposal. Because of filing season, Committee Member Oatley has not been able to get together with Area 1 Committee Member Nagel to rewrite this proposal. He said they will do it next week and have it ready for the next meeting.
2. All Committee Members to send suggestions on how TAP can better assist taxpayer to Committee Chair George Sullivan. Committee Chair Sullivan stated he has received this information and has forwarded it on to the Joint Committee. Committee Member Buck Paolone wanted to know if the entire committee would be able to review all the suggestions. Committee Chair Sullivan said he didn't know but would ask.
3. Committee Chair George Sullivan will fax a copy of the Area 6 Telephone proposal to TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez. This was done.

TAP Program Manager
TAP Program Manager Nancy Ferree will forward email to all committee members about the Tax Forums. TAP Program Manager Ferree stated she sent out the email and thanked everyone for their responses. The following will participate in the forums:

Atlantic City
Marisa Knispel and Inez De Jesus from the TAP staff will attend with TAP Committee Members E. Ghoniem, C. Silva, C. Johnson and F. Vinikoor and J. Grimaldi, W. Fish, T. DiMartino and R. Maziarz as backups.

Orlando
Nancy Ferree and Sallie Chavez from the TAP staff will attend with TAP Committee Members E. Hanna and Gwen Handelman with G. Sullivan as backup.

Minneapolis
Sandy McQuinn and one of her staff will attend with TAP Committee Members L. DeMarais and T. Seuntjens with B. Meldman and D. Drummel as backups.

New Orleans
Sallie Chavez or Nancy Ferree and Audrey Jenkins from the TAP staff will attend with TAP Committee Members A. Tillerson, D. Drummel and L. Malcomson and G. Handelman as backup.

San Antonio
Mary O'Brien and a Milwaukee staff member will attend with TAP Committee Members M. Hermann, J. Hollingsworth and D. Robinson and E. Hanna as backup.

Las Vegas
Judi Nicholas and Marla Ofilias from the TAP staff will attend with TAP Committee Members G. Marcuila, S. Stetz and H. Perkins and J. Reder as backup.

Face-to-Face Meetings
Committee Chair George Sullivan stated the face-to-face meeting scheduled for New Orleans June 18th and 19th is coming along. It should be a good meeting. There is lots for the agenda with good speakers and hopefully we will have good attendance. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez said she will be sending out the travel request next week. She asked everyone to please get it back to TAP Management Assistant Jenny Reyes as soon as possible so all travel can be made. Also please contact either TAP Management Assistant Reyes or herself with credit card numbers for the hotel. The deadline for the hotel is May 27. If you plan to go early or stay later, please let her know as soon as possible so she can contact the hotel and tell them additional rooms will be required.

Flyers will be going out to business groups, chambers of commerce, accounting groups, libraries and newspaper on May 3. Designated Federal Official Carolyn Lewis will provide a list of IRS officials in the New Orleans office that can be invited to the meeting. She will encourage many of them to attend.

Committee Chair George Sullivan stated that there may be a problem with the September face-to-face meeting as it is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday and IRS employees may not be able or willing or attend meeting on the weekend so there may not be any Subject Matter Experts to address the committee. He made a suggestion to change it to the last weekend in August (August 27& 28). Committee Member Owen Oatley stated he has an issue committee face-to-face the weekend before and doesn't think he can do two in the same month. Committee Chair Sullivan then suggested having the meeting early in the week (September 13 & 14) with September 12 as a travel day. Committee Member Owen Oatley stated that may not work as this is the filing deadline for the business extensions. The meeting can't be moved to the next weekend because that is Yom Kippur. The committee should not schedule meeting on the Jewish Holidays.

It was decided since only one member was affected by Rosh Hashanah, Committee Chair George Sullivan will contact Committee Member Gwen Handelman and see if she can travel on Friday (September 17) and just come to the meeting late.

Area 3 TAP Issues

Toll Free Option Joint Proposal with Area 6
Committee Chair George Sullivan stated the proposal was sent to everyone. He wanted to know what everyone thought about the proposal and whether Area 3 wanted to join in on it. Committee Member Agnes Tillerson had a few questions about the proposal. She wanted to know who Tim Nolen was. TAP Program Manager Nancy Ferree stated he was the director of the Joint Operations Center. The committee met with him when they were on the tour of the Atlanta Campus last year. Committee Member Tillerson said she feels that is a barrier. Committee Chair Sullivan said that the IRS is planning to upgrade and Area 6 wants to make sure this will be part of the upgrade. Committee Chair Sullivan asked if everyone agreed to this proposal. It was approved by consensus. Committee Member Tillerson said it should be rewritten. Committee Chair Sullivan will contact Area 6 Committee Chair Sherry Whah.

Third Party Authorization
Committee Chair George Sullivan stated he has elevated this proposal. It is on the agenda for the May face-to-face Joint Committee Meeting.

Schedule K-1s

Committee Member Owen Oatley stated he is planning to get together with Area 1 Committee Member Paul Nagel next week to rewrite this proposal.

Review of Area 3 Issues
Offer in Compromise/Installment Agreements/Penalty-Interest Assessments

Committee Members Owen Oatley and Sharon Lassar have been busy in the past couple of months with filing season. They will meet next week and decide what they want to do with this issue.

Identifying & Processing of Questionable W-4s
Committee Member Sharon Lassar stated that this issue is being worked by the Payroll Issue Committee. She will join in on their calls if possible. Committee Member Charlotte Cassady is on that committee and will advise Committee Member Lassar when the meeting will be held.

Telephone Listing/Answering Quality
Committee Chair George Sullivan stated the committee had discussed many items. The subcommittee could break it down into smaller bits and submit something. It's too big to do all at once. It needs to be broken down into segments. He suggests the four (4) subcommittee members get on a conference call and discuss this. Committee Member Buck Paolone said he would like to see how this telephone testing has worked. The more feasible issue is the telephone listing. He thinks the subcommittee should wait until the information on the testing comes back.

Walk-in Office Review (Taxpayer Assistance Centers)
Committee Chair George Sullivan asked everyone to make arrangements for office visits through TAP Staff. Committee Member Agnes Tillerson asked if there were going to be any other office closures. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez stated she was planning on inviting the TAC Director to the face-to-face meeting in June. Designated Federal Official Carolyn Lewis stated that if the Director could not attend she will make sure someone from that office attends so that any questions the committee has about TAC offices can be addressed.

Schedule K-1s
Committee Member Owen Oatley will handle this next week.

Military Special Information
Committee Member Owen Oatley said he and Committee Member Steve Wood would like to see what happens after this filing season to see if there are any problems. Would like to keep this in the parking lot.

Materiality
Committee Member Phil Bryant stated that research has now found that the tolerance for abatement is $5.00. He would like to see this raised. Committee Chair George Sullivan asked him to write it up as a formal proposal. Committee Member Bryant asked for the format. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will provide him with the format and any other additional assistance.

Suggestions for Extension for filing return
Committee Member Owen Oatley did not remember this issue. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez reminded him it came through him from a member of NATP. He will look for it and report at the next meeting.

Outsourcing of Tax Return Preparation
Committee Chair Geroge Sullivan stated this was on hold until after the Joint Committee face-to-face meeting in May.

Other Issues
TAP Manager Nancy Ferree stated she has received information from the Florida Governmental Liaison about Congressional Seminars in Ft. Myers and Orlando this June. The Ft. Myers seminar will be held on June 2 and the Orlando seminar will be held on June 9. If any of the Florida committee members would like to attend, please contact her as soon as possible. Either she or TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will attend with them. It will only consist of a 5 – 10 minute presentation. Staff will provide handouts to attendees. Committee Member Owen Oatley may be able to attend Orlando seminar. Committee Chair George Sullivan will not be able to attend because he will be in Buffalo.

Committee Member Buck Paolone asked if everyone received the bound book on marketing materials. Some has receive it and some have not. TAP Program Manager Nancy Ferree will check on this.

Citizen Input
There were no citizens on the call at this point.

Meeting Close
Committee Chair George Sullivan thanked everyone for their time.

The next meeting is scheduled for May 21, 2004 at 11:00am EST.

Meeting was adjourned.

ASSIGNMENTS

TAP Program Analyst

1. Contact #2672 (Dependency issue where a parent that is the non-custodian is claiming the deduction for the child) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez w ill get a subject matter expert to discuss this issue.
2. Contact #822 (processing of Form 2553 Election by a Small Business Corporation) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez along with DFO Carolyn Lewis will work on this issue.
3. Contact #2607 (Taxpayer did not receive his 1040 package) – TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will research this issue and report back at the next meeting.
4. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will send out referral from taxpayer received from April along with any additional referrals received the end of April and the first of May.
5. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will contact Committee Member Owen Oatley about the trust extensions.
6. TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez will send out travel request forms for committee members to submit for travel arrangements.

Designated Federal Official
Designated Federal Official Carolyn Lewis will provide TAP Program Analyst Sallie Chavez with a list of IRS officials to invite to the New Orleans face-to-face meeting.

TAP Program Manager
Check on bound book to be sent to all committee members on marketing material.