Multilingual Initiative (MLI) Committee Meeting Minutes

March 8, 2005

Designated Federal Official (DFO)

• Nancy L. Ferree

MLI Program Owner(s)

• Raymond G. Mills
• Sharese Stevens

Members Present

• Helen Curol, Lakes Charles, LA
• Jerald Fireman, Edmonds, WA
• Dorothy Havey, Lincolnville, ME
• José Irizarry, San Juan, PR
• Delford Jones, Griffith, IN
• Steve Kreisler, Potomac, MD
• Mary Ann Lawler, Dearborn, MI
• Paul McElroy, Winston-Salem, NC
• Clifford McKenzie, Del City, OK
• Theodore Perros, Washington, DC
• Lovella Richardson, Knoxville,TN
• Iris Sosa, Fontana, CA
• David Terrazas, Vice-Chair, Santa Cruz, CA
• Bruce Twomley, Chair, Juneau, AK

Panel Members Absent

• Joseph Meissner, Cleveland, OH
• Robert Stokes, Kemp, TX

Guest(s)

• Greg Holt, Government Markets Manager, Language Line Services

Staff Present

• Inez E. De Jesus, TAP Program Analyst/Note taker

Welcome/Announcements/Review Agenda
Chair Bruce Twomley began the meeting by welcoming everyone and shared that he had no news, and apologized for sharing his report to the Joint Committee late. There are three items mentioned in the report that have been returned to the panel and these will be discussed during the review of actions items portion of the agenda.

Roll Call (Quorum=8)
Quorum was met; 14 members present.

Joint Committee Report
Vice-Chair David Terrazas had participated on the Chair’s behalf during the last Joint Committee meeting and stated there was no news to report; discussion had to do more with administrative travel issues.

Review/Approve Meeting Minutes- February 8, 2005
The February 8, 2005 minutes were approved by consensus.

Confirm Completed Action Items Since February 8, 2005
DFO Ferree reviewed the list of previous action items and noted that all were completed with the exception of:

• Page 2, The 3 MLI Project Teams Charters & Assignments were delivered a few minutes prior to this call. Action item: Pending review by the panel.

• Page 4, Regarding Members Individual Skills, list is complete with the exception of one member and that will be addressed off-line. Pending follow-up by Analyst De Jesus.

Twomley thanked Mills for the detailed letter response that the Program Owners prepared to the National Women’s Law Center. This response is very useful in summarizing the status of various projects within the Multilingual Initiative.

In addition, Chair Twomley addressed the panels’ review of the responses received from the IRS on the Low Income Tax Clinic(s) –LITC’s Surveys and Bi-lingual brochures.

Regarding the LITC Surveys, in the Spring of 2004, “the MLI Issue Committee requested the annual LITC survey include questions with respect to the level of service from the Taxpayer Advocate Service. On January 21, 2005, Toni Cross, Chief, MLI Strategy Office responded as follows:

"Our LITC Customer surveys have been approved by OMB, and have been distributed to the LITC Directors. At this point, we cannot make any changes to the survey. We value your opinion and will keep your recommendation/comments under advisement for our next round of surveys“.

Mills stated that in the next round, the MLI Strategy Office will be sure that these are available to be taken and used. Action item for Cross/Mills: keep the panel informed of the status of the LITC Surveys.

Regarding the bilingual brochures, Twomley shared the following as stated in his most recent report: “In the fall of 2004, the MLI Issue Committee recommended the bilingual brochure with respect to the Taxpayer Advocate Service’s (TAS’) power to issue taxpayer assistance orders to release levies. On January 21, 2005, Toni Cross, Chief, MLI Strategy Office responded as follows:

The bilingual brochures are currently being revised and your suggestion for adding information on the Taxpayer Advocate’s Service’s power to issue taxpayer assistance orders will be considered. All changes to this brochure must be approved by the TAS Office. We will keep you apprised of our efforts." Action item for Cross/Mills: keep the panel informed regarding the bilingual brochures mentioning TAS to LEP’s.

Updates on 3 MLI Project Teams/Charter & Rosters

• Mills began by providing an overview of the charters and their purpose and goals of each team. (Feedback, Education, and Product Development Teams)

• He also explained how each person was either given their first or second choices. No one received their third choice. He requested that everyone review their assignments and if there were any objections to please let it be known; there were no responses.

• Mills attempted to match teams with members’ skills.

• Mills mentioned that as issues are received, they should fall under one of these teams. Each team may share one issue at times.

• Mills explained the terminology: “Ethnic Island” which represents an area where LEP taxpayers live, for example, China Town; it can be a 2 block area where the individuals do not have to leave their locality and all their needs are met. Ethnic islands are not only in big cities but in rural areas as well. Each team will be provided by the Program Owner(s) with data that they will need.

• The teams will have a system in which to measure their success and this information will be incorporated into the year end report.

• Each team will be meeting individually and reporting out during the monthly calls. In the future, after roll call, there will be a report out session on the agenda. Action item for Analyst De Jesus/Ferree.

• The MLI Program Owners will provide leadership guidance on each team.

• Mills inquired at this point if everyone was okay with the team that they have been assigned to, and if there was any wish to amend the charter. Various panel members indicated that since the email with this information had been sent just prior to this meeting, they had not had time to review.

At this point, Theodore Perros shared his views regarding the simplification of the tax code and how this may affect the concept of translating documents. Perros had attended last week, the President’s Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform and Mr. Greenspan and National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson were the main speakers at this event. Perros wonders if we are wasting monies on translating documents since most likely the tax code will be changing again soon. Mills responded that not every document needs to be translated. As mandated by Executive Order 13166, federal agencies are to provide meaningful access to products and services to persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).

Mills elaborated that the mission is to get basic information out to LEP’s.

Sharese Stevens chimed in and shared that the MLI Strategy Office is geared to assist nearly arrived immigrants that are not familiar with our tax system. For example, if you work, you must file a W-4 form and have the proper withholding. It’s all very basic. The goal is also to not get too complicated.

Both Mills and Stevens shared it is the right time for the panel to be where it is at with the upcoming changes- “we are in the cutting edge, so to speak.”

Based on research, the most prominent language in the United States is 71% Spanish, 5% Chinese, and then other languages. The Korean ratio is very small.

Perros inquired on who does the translation. Mills clarified that the LITC’s have been doing this but this is considered unofficial documents since it has not been sanctioned by the IRS.

By general consensus of the group, Mills requested that Inez add the names of all the panel members to the master charter and get it signed by everyone. Action item for Inez.

Chair Twomley requested that when the panel responds back, it should include everyone so that we are all on the same page. Action item for all: review the charters and your assignments and respond back to Ray Mills by no later than March 11, 2005.

Action item for Ray Mills: Send out the team packets to the entire panel by no later than March 18, 2005.

The panel will need all the necessary data by the end of the month.

DFO Ferree shared that everyone has an AT&T calling card which provides you with the option of setting up teleconference calls. Teams can meet without it being a public meeting. Action item for Inez: Send out the information to all on the AT&T Teleconference Service Procedures.

The committee is to address on the Leadership cadre and entertain comments on the team leaders, whether they are to elect someone among their peers.

Mills inquired if perhaps the April call can be longer.

Office Reports
None

Meeting Satisfaction Survey
DFO Ferree shared that this form that has already been shared with the entire committee, is a great tool for the staff to learn how improvements may be made to the current meeting structure. Ferree stated that this was optional but it will be greatly appreciated if everyone took the time to fill out and return to the staff.

Review of MLI Issues
Mills reviewed the current MLI Issue Matrix and shared the following:

• Issue 2988, MLI Partnering with LITC’s, will fall under either Team 2 or 3 (Ed or Product Development.)
• Issue # 2989, Financial Literacy & Education Commission, will fall under Education Team.
• Issue # 3179, Provide Support to USCIS/LEP’s, not sure yet under which team this will fall under.
• Issue # 3251, Outreach to ESL, will fall under Product Development Team.

Updates on Face-to-Face Meeting (Dates & Location)
Mills shared the direction and approval he received from Toni Cross regarding the location of the face-to-face meeting. Cross recommends that this meeting be held in New Carrollton, MD/in the D.C. area/in the IRS Federal Building. The LITC Directors will be there and other federal agencies as well which can be invited.

The dates agreed on during the November 2004 annual meeting were:
Friday, June 24, 2005, all day, and half a day on Saturday, June 25th, with travel on June 23rd and the afternoon of the 25th.

Mills suggested if it would be possible to travel instead on Wednesday, June 22nd and meet for one and a half days, and return home on Friday, June 24th in the afternoon. Some members objected to this since they would have to miss extra days from work.

Mills shared that since we will be meeting in a Federal Building; there may not be access on a Saturday.

Action item for panel: email to the staff your preferences for meeting dates by no later than Friday, March 11, 2005.

Public Input
Chair thanked Mr. Holt for being on the call and Mr. Holt indicated that he had no input at this time.

Closing Assessment
Chair adjourned the meeting and thanked everyone for their participation.

Next Teleconference Meeting: April 12, 2005 at 2:30 PM ET

*These minutes were approved by consensus on April 12, 2005.