Joint Committee Minutes

April 20, 2004

Members Present

• Mario Burgos, Efiling
• Skip Eshelman, Notices
• James Grimaldi, Area 1
• Gwen Handelman, EITC
• Cheyañna Jaffke, Area 7
• Robert Meldman, Ad Hoc
• Paul Nagel, Schedule C Non-filers
• Tom Seuntjens, TAP Chair
• Teresa Smedley, Area 4
• Leonard Steinberg, Payroll Taxes
• George Sullivan, Area 3
• Bruce Twomley, Multilingual
• Lillian Woo, Area 5

Members Absent

• David Meyer, Area 2
• Sherry Whah, Area 6

Guests Present

• Buck Paolone, Area 3 TAP member

Staff Present

• Bernie Coston, DFO
• Sandy McQuin, TAP Manager
• Nancy Ferree, TAP Manager
• Judi Nicholas, TAP Manager
• Sandra Ramirez, TAP Manager
• Barbara Toy, Program Analyst
• Patti Robb, Note taker
• Sallie Chavez, Program Analyst
• Martha Curry, Program Analyst
• Marisa Knispel, Program Analyst
• Inez DeJesus, Program Analyst
• Steve Berkey, Program Analyst

Welcome / Announcements / Review Agenda
Tom Seuntjens welcomed everyone and stated the meeting will be kept to an hour because of the upcoming face to face in Chicago in May. Seuntjens reminded all area chairs to keep in mind that if their area has completed recommendations, they should be sent to Barbara Toy before end of month; don't wait for next monthly committee report to submit.

Many chairs have forwarded comments on holding effective meetings but if any chairs haven't, please send comments to Toy by end of month. The media pocket guide was sent for discussion at this meeting but due to time, the issue will be addressed in Chicago. Additional materials for the communication discussion will be forwarded prior to the May meeting.

Buck Paolone from Area 3 asked to add a few minutes to address the communication strategy. It was agreed to add the discussion prior to the closing of the meeting.

Seuntjens reminded all chairs that if they cannot attend the May face-to-face meeting, they should ensure the vice chair or other designee attends.

National Office Report

Recruitment Schedule
Bernie Coston reported that 673 on line applications were received and of those 340 are in saved as draft status and 333 submitted as final. Requests for paper applications reached 202 from the toll free-site. Coston believes TAP is headed in right direction with recruitment.

The Wall Street Journal carried article on TAP recruitment and Coston scheduled an interview with a syndicated columnist from the Dallas Morning News, Pamela Yip. Lillian Woo has completed an interview with Ms. Yip. Woo stated that Yip has been very good to the IRS in her previous articles and expects a good article. Seuntjens inquired about the two states with no applications-- Iowa and Kansas. Coston replied that steps have been taken to get a message out to special interest groups and the media in those states.

Seuntjens stated that the Joint Committee would look at the full schedule for recruitment and panel's involvement in interviews during the Chicago meeting, and Coston agreed.

Gwen Handelman asked why Maine is still listed as a state not needing a primary representative, since the representative has resigned. Coston assured that National Office is aware. TAP has received applications from Maine , and messages have gone to the Local Taxpayer Advocate and Government Liaisons to get the message out.

Review of Assignments
Seuntjens reminded chairs and staff if they haven't already done so, to send comments on how to be more effective as a committee, and that area recommendations should not be attached to the April report but forwarded to Toy. Both are due by end of month.

ACTION: Chairs should forward completed Area recommendations to Toy by April 30, 2004.

Jim Grimaldi stated some key members missing from last meeting so action items will be discussed at next meeting.

Seuntjens did not believe the Media pocket guide was forwarded to chairs early enough for a comprehensive review so the media guide will be discussed at the May face-to-face meeting. The communication agenda topic will be moved to Friday, May 7, so Steve Berkey can be present. The communication strategy, talking points, and media guide will also be part of this discussion.

ACTION: Toy will move Communications to Friday.

ACTION: Toy will prepare two pre-read mail outs for the May meeting, the first the beginning of the week of April 19th and the second by April 30th. In addition, Cheyañna Jaffke did not receive her pre-read materials timely. Toy will double-check her mailing address.

Reminder to all Joint Committee members that all materials are either attached to the meeting notice on the calendar on the starting page of TAPSpeak or in the Reading Room of TAPSpeak.

Judi Nicholas updated the Joint Committee on the survey. The initial survey was sent out asking who has experience with the web site and for those who responded favorably, sent out a second. Ad Hoc received three responses and the results were forwarded to the Notice Gatekeeper's Office.

Coston stated that Puerto Rico is now on list and TAP has applicants from Puerto Rico. Coston has worked with Local Taxpayer Advocate in recruiting from various special interest groups and has worked with various Hispanic organizations to recruit in Spanish as well as English.

George Sullivan stated that Ed Hanna has rewritten the Third Party Authorization and it has been sent for the May meeting. As stated previously, Owen Oatley and Paul Nagel have not met to work on the Schedule K-1 issue. The Area 3 committee discussed the Electronic Deposit of Form 1040X and concurred with the IRS' position paper. Item will be closed, proposal rejected.

ACTION: Toy will close the Electronic Deposit of Form 1040X.

Coston had provided a report from SAMS showing a chart of the most frequent issues; however, Handelman and Seuntjens prefer more detailed description of issues.

ACTION: Toy will provide another SAMS issue report for May meeting and place topic on agenda for further discussion.

Issue matrix project should be completed soon. Each analyst is working on entering their assigned committee's issues onto the database and completing all fields required for Issue Matrix. First draft of report will be run for May face-to-face meeting.

ACTION: Toy will mail first draft of Issue Matrix report prior to end of month and place Issue Matrix project on agenda for the May face-to-face meeting.

Assignments not completed from prior month are carried over. Refer to Assignment section at end of minutes for additional information.

Status of Area Recommendations and TAP Annual Report
Coston reported that there is some confusion about the intent of elevated issue TAP 04-010, Taxpayer Rights Under RRA98. Coston needs additional information before Nina Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate, can approve the response.

ACTION: Coston, Seuntjens, Bruce Twomley, and Bob Meldman will meet in Chicago and discuss the TAS Authorities elevated issue.

Coston reported that Nina Olson, promised to review the TAP Annual Report.

Review / Approve Minutes
Handelman provided technical corrections to minutes and comments on minutes not being written in third person. Seuntjens asked for that consideration in the future and asked if minutes could be accepted with changes. Minutes accepted with stated changes.

Agenda Items

Committee Chair Reports at May face-to face
Seuntjens asked that each committee chair prepare a five minute verbal informational report on the status of their committee at this point in time. The report does not need to be in writing but reminded chairs of their responsibility to put together an annual report. The annual report and expectations of chairs will be discussed at the May meeting.

ACTION: All Committee chairs should prepare a five minute mid-year assessment of their committee.

Agenda items include annual report writing, large print materials, issue matrix, exit interviews, effective committees and pulling comments on making committees more effective together. After discussion it was agreed to move TAP communication discussion to Friday. Coston agreed to meeting with Joint Committee members (without staff) prior to Saturday morning's meeting for 20 minutes.

Seuntjens asked Joint Committee members for suggestions on additional agenda topics or any he missed. Meldman mentioned that Ad Hoc was missing.

ACTION: Toy will add Ad Hoc committee report to May agenda.

Coston asked Berkey to research Large Print materials from American Disabilities Act, (ADA) standards and asked Handelman if that described this agenda topic. Handelman replied that she did not approach the issue from a legalistic perspective but as an effort to accommodate those who are visually impaired. Seuntjens suggested addressing print for visually impaired but to also consider needs of hearing impaired.

ACTION: Coston will report back to Joint Committee on Berkey's findings.

Status Report of elevated Issues—Explanation of Status Descriptions

ACTION: Toy will change “on Hold” status to “Pending Submission.” This status indicates issues that are approved for elevation by the Joint Committee but have not been submitted; the reason for not submitting is entered into the “Notes” filed in the Tracking database and appears on the TAP Area Recommendation Status Report . The “Elevated, But on Hold” status will be eliminated. Updated report with changes should be mailed prior to April 30th.

Response to TAP 03-012—Just in Time Policy
This item will be removed from agenda until final response is received.

Response to Elevated Issue Electronic Deposit of Form 1040X Refund
Sullivan discussed early; see “Assignments.”

Response to 04-011 Immediate Feedback on Toll Free

Response to 03-016 W-4 Clarification

ACTION: Move Response to 04-011 Immediate Feedback on Toll Free and Response to 03-016 W-4 Clarification to May agenda

Monthly Committee Reports Action Items
All recommendations carried over to May Meeting. Seuntjens reminded chairs to send completed area recommendations to Toy prior to end of month.

Seuntjens asked the chairs to please be more diligent in submitting the Monthly Committee Reports. They are not just for submitting recommendations but provide an overview of what all committees are doing.

Patti Robb has most of travel arrangements done - just has not had chance to type and send out.

Closing
Seuntjens asked chairs to make sure the vice chair or a designee attend the May face-to-face meeting so all committees are represented.

Buck Paolone from Area 3 is Chair of Ad Hoc subcommittee on marketing materials and strategy. The Communication strategy was approved by the Joint Committee. Paolone strongly suggests the strategy be communicated to all TAP members and as far as he knows it has not been distributed. TAP members all need to be aware of the communication strategy and to let them how it fits into their particular state and how to get started.

ACTION: Judi Nicholas will prepare the Communication Strategy for distribution to all panel members.

Thanks and see you all in Chicago.

Assignments

Joint Committee Members:

• All Committee chairs should prepare a five minute mid-year assessment of their committee.
• Area Chairs should forward completed Area recommendations to Toy by April 30, 2004.

Coston, Seuntjens, Twomley, and Meldman:

• Meet in Chicago and discuss the TAS Authorities elevated issue.

Coston:

• Report back to Joint Committee on Berkey's findings
• Speak to Chesman and Sottile about a feedback mechanism or reporting mechanism to issue committees from the program owners. (01/20/2004)
• According to charter and TAP Guidance Document, the TAP Chair and Vice Chair have designated role as liaisons with other IRS advisory groups: ETAAC, TE/GE, ACT, IRSAC, and IRPAC. In addition, the TAP Chair and Vice Chair are the points of contact with the TAP staff, TAS, SB/SE, W&I, and other IRS Operating Divisions and Functions and Treasury to provide briefings on TAP activities, next steps, and action items. Also consider ways for other TAP members to partner with IRSAC and IRPAC (05/20/2003) Bernie was going to speak to Tom about this off line.
• TAP and IRSAC sometimes have similar committees working the same issue as the TAP issue committees, for example each have a subcommittee on EITC. Jim Grimes is the lead of the EITC task force (01/20/2004)
• Provide approval to release the 2003 TAP Annual Report by March 22, 2004
• Bernie will show the implementation plan/milestones for recruitment at the May face-to-face meeting (03/16/2004).

Burgos:

• Burgos will expand the technology explanation on fax servers and forward to Toy (03/16/2004).

Grimaldi:

• Discuss the Offer in Compromise Fee and Quality Control for IRS Correspondence response with Area 1 and report back to Barbara Toy on their status (03/16/2004).
• Bring Adding TAP information to Publications and Forms back to Area 1 (01/20/2004)
• Return the EFTPS Review Period recommendation to Area 1 for discussion (01/20/2004)

Nagel:

• Work with the authors of the Schedule K-1 proposal and George Sullivan to rewrite it, and present again to the Joint Committee (03/16/2004).
• Nagel will forward a copy of the JC minutes to his committee before their meeting so they know how the Joint Committee feels about being an advocate for the taxpayer (03/16/2004).

Judi Nicholas:

• Prepare the Communication Strategy for distribution to all panel members.

Sullivan:

• Work with the authors of the Schedule K-1 proposal and George Sullivan to rewrite it, and present again to the Joint Committee (03/16/2004).

Toy:

• Move Communications agenda item for May meeting to Friday
• Prepare two pre-read mail outs for the May meeting, the first the beginning of the week of April 19th and the second by April 30th. In addition, Cheyañna Jaffke did not receive her pre-read materials timely, Toy will double-check her mailing address
• Close the Electronic Deposit of Form 1040X on Tracking database
• Provide another SAMS issue report for May meeting and place topic on agenda for further discussion
• Mail first draft of Issue Matrix report prior to end of month and place Issue Matrix project on agenda for the May face-to-face meeting
• Add Ad Hoc committee report to May agenda.
• Move Response to 04-011 Immediate Feedback on Toll Free and Response to 03-016 W-4 Clarification to May agenda
• Prepare the Message on Refund Check Envelope for elevation (01/20/2004)
• Develop a form for collecting the inventory of knowledge, skills, and abilities and find a way for the information to be easily accessed on TAPSpeak (09/05/2003)
• Toy will prepare letter to elevate forms testing recommendations
• Toy will prepare a letter to elevate fax numbers on notices (03/16/2004).
• Toy needs to complete the Issue Matrix and send out ASAP.

Whah:

• Discuss the On Hold for Toll Free and the Provider Identification Number response and report back to Barbara Toy on its status. Consolidate the response from Meyer and Sullivan on the On Hold for Toll Free issue