TAP Director
National Office Update
March 5, 2008

Following is a summary of issues from the TAP Director for the TAP conference call scheduled for March 5, 2008.   

Budget
The TAP 2008 fiscal year continues on track with travel expenditures slightly above 2007 allocations. Member travel expenditures for the last month include:

• Oversight Board Meeting, Washington, DC, February 19, 2008 (Chair)
• Area 3 Face to Face Meeting, Orlando, FL February 28-29, 2008
• EITC Awareness Day, Various participation across the country
• TAP Town Hall Meeting, Birmingham, AL, February 21-22, 2008

Current travel for March includes:

• TAP Town Hall meeting, Durham, NC, March 13-14, 2008

TAP Staff
Congratulations to Mary Ann Delzer of the Milwaukee staff on her selection into the Taxpayer Advocate Service, Frontline Readiness Program.  Mary Ann was one of twelve candidates selected to participate in a two year program that trains and develops employees for managerial development.  She will attend training and also be given acting detail opportunities in management positions. This selection will aid her career aspirations of going into management.

Charter
The TAP Charter was approved by Treasury on February 26, 2008.  This will allow TAP to continue operation through March 17, 2010. 

Recruitment
The recruitment dates are tentatively set for March 17, 2008 – April 30, 2008.  The major objectives for this year’s recruitment will be:

• Increase diversity
• Improve approval timeline
• Increase depth in the replacement pool

TAP members have already played an important part of the process by reviewing recruitment materials, testing the online application and will also be a part on the interview panels. 

TAP Annual Report 
The TAP annual report continues on target for the release to occur in March 2008. The team led be Maryann Motza continues to work on the report and by all indications will produce a document that all of TAP will be proud of.  

TAP Town Halls
One of three Town hall meetings was conducted on February 21, 2008 at the Homestead Library in Birmingham, Alabama.  More than 35 taxpayers were in attendance to hear from TAP members and the National Taxpayer Advocate. At the focus group session after the general meeting approximately 20 potential issues were documented by the TAP members of Area 3.  Additional town hall locations:

• Durham, NC, March 13, 2008
• Springfield, IL, May 1, 2008