Multi-Lingual Issue Committee Meeting Minutes
January 16, 2004
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST
Teleconference
Roll Call & Confirmation of Quorum *(4)
TAP Program Analyst Inez E. De Jesus took the roll call, and quorum was met;
Quorum = 4 and there were 5 members present and the Designated FederalOfficial (DFO).
Panel Members Present
- Linda Bader, Chesterfield, MO
- Nancy L. Ferree, Designated Federal Official (DFO)
- Delford Jones, Griffith, IN
- Sharon Lassar, Miami, FL
- Joseph Meissner, Cleveland, OH
- Bruce Twomley, Juneau, AK, Chair
Panel Members- Not Present
- Elizabeth Brodbine Ghoniem, Winchester, MA, Vice-Chair
- Sharon Stetz, Salt Lake City, UT
MLI Program Owner(s)
TAP Staff
- Inez E. De Jesus (Program Analyst/Scribe)
Welcome/Announcements/Review Agenda
Chair Bruce Twomley opened meeting by welcoming everyone and by inquiring if there were any objections to the agenda, and there were none.
Chair had no new announcements for this month.
Brief discussion was held concerning the reporter from the Capitol News who had expressed an interest in participating on this call, but at the last minute cancelled. Analyst shared that the reporter would be contacting the Program Owner, Chair, or Designated Federal Official by phone.
Panel member Joe Meissner inquired if the other committee members had received his email dated January 15, 2004, entitled “ESL and Low Income Taxpayers/Educating ESL Students and Taxpayers about IRS, Taxpayer Rights, and Taxpayer Duties”. Chair Twomley shared that he will provide his input directly to Meissner after the call. Other members expressed their support. For the record, this document details the experiences of the “Friendship Foundation of American-Vietnamese” organization in Cleveland, Ohio, which assists people immigrating from Indochina, and Viet Nam (English as a Second Language/ESL) individuals. The recommendations/suggestions shared on this document, based on their experiences are as follows:
- Tax subjects should be included in the ESL curriculum.
- The tax information needed should correspond to the financial situation of the individual.
- The translation of tax forms into various languages may not be that useful; perhaps it would be better to explain tax programs such as EITC (Earned Income Tax Credit) to ESL or LEP (Limited English Proficient) individuals.
- Education about taxes and financial issues were incorporated into the ESL classes.
- The ESL instruction should include not only taxes, but also instruction on general financial matters.
Review/Approve Meeting Minutes of December 19, 2003
Minutes were approved.
Review all Action Items from Previous Meeting
Not discussed.
Status Report on Elevated Recommendation: Curriculum Proposal on Basic Tax Responsibilities
Panel member Linda Bader shared that the subcommittee (Bader, Brodbine-Ghoniem, Meissner, Stetz and Ferree) met via teleconference since the last MLI teleconference meeting as discussed.
The subcommittee agreed that since the recommendation on the development and promotion of a tax education curriculum that can be implemented in adult ESL programs across the nation had already been covered and elevated to the Program Owner, (in the former Chair's “Report of Activities and Recommendations from October 2002 – September 2003”), what was needed now was feedback from the Program Owner. Action item: Program Owner Toni Cross agreed and promised to provide the committee with a status report on the recommendations previously elevated.
DFO Ferree stated that the recommendations were not originally elevated to the Program Owner in the recommended format; however, they were elevated later in a separate document with a cover memo. Members went over the TAP MLI “Report of Activities and Recommendations from October 2002- September 2003” prepared by then chair, Sharon Lassar.
Recommendation #1: “The IRS should train more VITA volunteers in their native languages”.
Recommendation #2: “The IRS should work with TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) programs to insure participants receive basic tax education”.
*Recommendation #3: “We recommend the IRS reach out to “notarios” and provide training workshops in their native languages. “Notarios” may be licensed as notary publics in the communities they serve. The local government should be able to provide a mailing list of license holders”.
Recommendation #4: “We recommend that the IRS provide a mechanism by which the “unofficial” documents and pamphlets prepared by LITC can be freely shared by all communities and organizations that serve LEP taxpayers. For example, the Director of the LITC program could establish a web site for this purpose”.
Recommendation #5: “The IRS and ESL educators should collaborate on the development and promotion of a tax education curriculum that can be implemented in adult ESL programs across the nation”. This is the recommendation that relates to the project Linda Bader is currently working on.
*All agreed that with the exception of #3, the Program Owner in her status report to this committee will address the other 4 recommendations.
*Sharon Lassar reminded everyone that at one point it was discussed that each member would do something in their areas regarding “notarios” and Nancy Ferree shared that this is a term more familiar in the “latino” communities. It was also discussed that perhaps it is best to stay away from this since it deals with financial matters.
There was further discussion on various related topics:
Linda Bader will continue to work on the “Proposal to Work with LITC's and ESL's”. Bader mentioned that it would take money for the teachers to prepare curriculum.
Possible proposal to the organization would be to use the “Bentley Model”, and Toni Cross suggested that an outline be created. Primarily, make sure it makes sense and that it is designed by an entity within the IRS. Bader inquired if anyone had additional information on the Bentley model, and was informed that the only available information is the 6-page document she shared with the committee on December 5, 2003, which she had received from Elizabeth Brodbine Ghoniem.
Meissner referenced the 5 LITC recommendations previously noted where there is reference to FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation) whereby ESL individuals are taught basic information, e.g. how to open a checking account.
Toni Cross emphasized the need to stay focus on “taxpayers learning about their tax responsibilities”.
Nancy Ferree reminded everyone that the IRS already has on their website an interactive program that helps students understand the U.S. Tax System (Understanding Taxes). This is very basic and it is addressed to High School students. This is a very important component for the committee to partner with the existing structure(s) that are already in existence.
Delford Jones suggested that whatever the committee decides to do, to just keep it small and simple. He has learned that you can lose people if you overload them with information and especially if there is a language issue.
Joe Meissner agreed that the important factor is to just give them the information they need to know.
Toni Cross summarized it all by stating that the IRS MLI Project Office's main objective is to teach LEP's/ESL's their tax responsibilities and obligations.
Action: Bader will proceed with drafting a proposal on “Basic Tax Responsibilities” and will share with everyone. It was suggested that it be prepared in outline form.
Toni Cross stated that the ESL will decide if and how they will incorporate it. She emphasized that it can get confusing if discussion is not related to taxes.
Follow-up on LITC Contacts
Toni Cross emphasized the importance of this committee to partner with the Low Income Tax Clinics (LITCs), and she ensured the committee that she can facilitate a partnership between this committee and the LITC's.
Nancy Ferree reminded the committee to keep track of what is currently being done by this committee in regards to ESL individuals.
Toni Cross reminded the committee of the LITC survey shared during last month's meeting, which indicates that not all LITC's have ESL's. Possible recommendation can be for the “IRS to Partner with LITC's”.
Action item: DFO Ferree will contact the LITC Director, Randy Swartz or his assistant, Susan Gilbert, to obtain information on which LITC's service ESL individuals.
Next steps planned: Once Ferree shares information she receives from the LITC Director, then a recommendation will be elevated through the Program Owner to the LITC.
Ferree referenced TIGTA Report, August 2003, Reference # 2003-40-163, “Limited English Proficient Taxpayers Need Improved Written Products to Help Them Understand and Comply with Tax Laws.”
Background: Lassar is recommending (and the committee and Program Owner agreed) for this committee to urge IRS to take advantage of the new “Financial Literacy and Education Commission” that is going to be chaired by the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Education will be a member as well.
Action item: Sharon Lassar will send template to Nancy Ferree, in order that a letter be drafted from the TAP MLI committee to the IRS Commissioner, suggesting that he work with the higher ups within the Department of Education in recommending that taxes are included in all curriculums within the Department of Education, ESL classes, and any other classes that deal with civic responsibilities.
Guidance from the Program Owner
Program Owner Toni Cross stated that she was in support of the committees' discussions and plans during this call, and that she will attempt to provide the committee with a status report on the recommendations previously elevated to the IRS.
Language Block Information
Since Sharon Stetz was not available on this call, this topic will be carried over to next month's agenda, and in the interim analyst promised to send the link to all where there is detailed information on this subject matter. Action item for Inez.
News from the Staff
Nancy Ferree reminded everyone that during the week of January 26-30, 2004, the TAP Managers and Analysts will be in Washington, D.C., attending TAP Training Conference; TAP Secretary Jenny Reyes will be the only staff member available in the Florida TAP Office.
Public Participation/Input
None
Closing Assessment
Delford Jones thanked the staff on recent information he received in the mail from the “Children's Services Council of Broward County” and analyst shared that this information was the result of Sharon Lassar's recent outreach efforts.
Chair Twomley inquired about the recent Press Release from the IRS regarding the restructuring and Ferree promised to share information with him offline.
Chair Twomley adjourned meeting timely.
Confirm next meeting: February 20, 2004 at 1:00 PM EST |
Text Version
