Area 4 Committee Meeting Minutes
February 19, 2008
Teleconference

• Martin, Betty - Nashville, TN - LTA

Committee Members Present

• Adams-Dodds, Carolyn - Detroit, MI - Member
• Kennedy, Jeff - Louisville, KY - Vice Chair
• Khan, Anne - Chicago, IL - Member
• Martyniuk, Lev - Cincinnati, OH - Member
• Meister, David - Franklin, WI - Member
• Melchior, Jerome - Vincennes, IN - Member
• Monnier, David - Indianapolis, IN - Member
• Mull, Bob - Ann Arbor, MI - Member
• Taylor, Rita - Cincinnati, OH - Member
• Verwiel, John - Cottage Grove, WI - Member
• Wernz, Stanley - Cincinnati, OH - Chair
• White, Regina - Southfield, MI - Member
• Wingard, Kelly - Decatur, IL - Member

Committee Members Absent

• Blanchard, Greg - Cordova, TN - Member
• Bryant, Patricia - Millington, TN - Member
• Buschmann, Ray - Lake Forest, IL - Member
• Hurr, Joe (Excused) - Dayton, OH - Member
• Spiotto, Ann (Excused) - Lincolnwood, IL - Member

TAP Staff

• Trish DeTimmerman - Des Moines, IA - Acting Manager
• Delzer, Mary Ann - Milwaukee, WI - Analyst
• Patti Robb - Milwaukee, WI - Secretary                              

Welcome/Roll Call
Stan Wernz welcomed everyone to the call. 

Quorum met

Area 4 Chair Report-Wernz

• Joint Committee Report
• Area 4 Chair Report

This report is available on TAPSpace (See Area 4 Chair Report).  It was written by Ferd Schneider, last year’s Area 4 Chair.  Outreach was a priority last year and should be again this year. 

Public Input
None

Issue Discussion

• RAL-ANPRM - Wernz

Pat Bryant and Wernz volunteered to work with Area 5 on this issue.  No meetings have been scheduled.  Wernz condensed the five issues previously submitted.  Due to the April 7 deadline for comments and recommendations, it is unlikely any paper could be approved through the Joint Committee.  Wernz encouraged individuals who are passionate about this issue to also respond with their comments directly to IRS.  Bryant feels we should be pushing to have the RALs discontinued.  They are taking from the people who least can afford having these funds taken. 
ACTION:  Delzer will forward the web address to Area 4 members so they can respond to the RAL-ANPRM. 

Dave Monnier thought they should not let the place that prepared the return also provide the RAL.  Taxpayers should have to go to someone else to actually get it.  Wernz is going to speak to former member Paul Duquette to discuss the prior input.  This issue is number 5 on the National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson’s Most Serious Problems in her report to Congress. 

Betty Martin said this is very difficult to police.  The IRS is looking for input from everyone regarding this issue.  There have been some rules and regulations regarding this issue.  There is an alternative to an RAL; it is a RAC.  Some people do not have a bank account and some do not have the money to pay a preparer to do their return.  Not everyone qualifies to get a RAL.  TAP has every right to express their opinion.  Robert Mull thinks education is a better approach.  Wingard said many people just want their money now.  It does not matter how much they have to pay for it.  

• Issue 4210 – Allow Suspension of Return Processing – Delzer

Delzer sent an email message letting all know this is the number 6 issue on NTA report to Congress.  It is on page 106 of her report so the IRS is aware that this is a real issue.  Delzer will put this issue in the parking lot and will monitor.

• Issue 4484 – Business CP 163 - Kennedy

The draft report was sent out to the whole committee.  Bryant emailed a few grammatical changes.  Kennedy requested the background information.  Delzer suggested adding something in the recommendation about reducing phone calls.  The changes will be made and the recommendation will be forwarded to the JC for approval.  Consensus. 

• Issue 3632 – Failure of Audit Reconsideration Processing - Delzer

This is the most serious problem, number 19, of the NTA Report to Congress.  Wernz thought the publication was clear and very helpful.  The biggest problem seems to be with the correspondence audits.  Notices get sent out automatically even though many times the taxpayer has already sent the requested information.  NTA thinks the IRS should give people more time to respond.  This issue will be put on hold for next month; the reports to Congress should be sent out to everyone by then.

• Issue 4108 – Recognition of Private Letter Rulings – Delzer

A taxpayer complains that every year he gets a notice that he did not include some income.  He has his own private letter ruling and has to take the time to explain this every year. 

Lev Martyniuk said he does not know how this can be addressed.  The whole IRS computer system would have to be revamped.  The taxpayer should take his private letter ruling to the issuer of the 1099.  This cannot be done on an individual level.  There are probably between 2,000 to 10,000 private letter rulings issued each month, but most of them do not deal with individual taxpayers.  This is a computer solution, not a tax solution.  Wernz thinks this has gone about as far as we can take this.  Consensus to drop this issue. 

• Issue 4243 – Notices of Deficiency

Hold to next month.

New Issue Review

• # 4533 - Raise the charitable gift from $250 to $500.  Drop. 
• # 4535 – Return Processing – IRS not recognizing losses.  Drop.
• # 4554 – Efile should not cost anyone money – this issue was elevated to the Commissioner previously (to raise income limit to $100,000).  There is a site called Tax Act that offers it free to anyone.   Continue discussion of new issues next month. 

Office Report
There is a call scheduled on Friday for the folks who are interested in attending the Springfield Town Hall meeting on May 1.  Delzer will check on who will be able to attend from Illinois.
 
Trish DeTimmerman hopes to act until the managerial position is filled.  A secretary has not been chosen and the junior analyst position is still open too.  We are hoping to interview next week. 

TAP Recruitment begins on March 17.  Steve Berkey sent out an email message to all panel members to see if circumstances have changed and someone would like to rotate off the panel.  If this happens, we can fill the position during the recruitment period.  There may not be an opening in every state.

DeTimmerman will be in the Milwaukee office next week. 

Closing/Assessment
The meeting satisfaction survey will be sent out via Survey Monkey.  DeTimmerman’s contact information is on the new Area 4 roster.