Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP)
Issue Committee
Wage & Investment (W&I) Reduce Taxpayer Burden
(Notices)

Meeting Minutes (Teleconference)
November 1, 2007 1:00pm eastern time

Designated Federal Official (DFO)
Nancy Ferree, TAP Program Manager, Plantation, FL

Members Present
Steve Fulkrod
Joe Hurr
David Jones
David Meister
Neil Mitchell
Max Scott
Howard Stahl
Lee Stieger
Mary Suther
Chuck Tice
Edward Uhrig
Warren Wong
J. T. Wright

Members Absent
Ben Chapman
Paul Colombo

Staff Present
Sallie Chavez, TAP Program Analyst, Plantation, FL
Anita Fields,   TAP Staff & Note taker
Jim Cesarano, Program Owner

Welcome & Announcements
Lee Stieger welcomed everyone and asked Anita to take roll.

Roll Call
Quorum was met.

Approve Meeting Minutes
Minutes from October were approved as written.

Comments from Program Owner
Jim Cesarano informed the committee of the actions taken on the visually impaired memo that was received in August.  He stated that most of the recommendations are outside the scope of their office therefore they identified what executives would be in charge of taking action within the fields of those recommendations. They are preparing a memo and it is going to go out to the executives.  Jim also stated that his office will then prepare a memo back to the committee informing them of what action was taken.   

The testing memo was sent to Barbara Powell.  She is the person in their office that handles testing.  Barbara is going to be responding to that memo.  Jim has no idea what her response will be and he is hoping that she has something ready for next month. 

The Form 886 project improvement team would like to meet with the subcommittee that scored the form and discuss the score around the week of the 19th of November.  Jim stated that there might be a problem with coordinating because the Form 886H EIC form was tested at the tax forums and the improvement team wants to meet with the scoring team and the people who facilitated the test at the tax forums on one call.  They were happy with the scores of the EIC, but they want to discuss the Form 886H HOH and how to improve the score.

Dave Meister asked if they could do this at a breakout session in Washington for the Annual Meeting.  Jim stated that the exam people don’t really have the funds for the travel.  He also stated that the deadline to get the 2008 form in is the end of December.  Jim stated because of the amount of people involved then they might have to schedule three different calls.  Jim is going to try and schedule these call when the committee usually have their subcommittee calls which is the last Wednesday of the month.

Warren Wong wanted to know what the ground rules for what is discussed on the call.  Jim answered that they will talk about scores.  The structure will be the DAT form.

Subcommittee Report and Updates
Document Assessment Tool (DAT)
DAT Team 1 (CP225 & 207) –
Joe Hurr has completed project and forwarded onto Sallie Chavez.

DAT Team 3 (Form 886H-HOH & CP159& 162)
Dave Meister stated the team has completed the scoring on the Form 886H HOH for 2007 and it has been forwarded on.  We want to get the CP 162 before the week of the 12th.  Dave stated that by the week of the 16th all of his subcommittee’s DAT scoring will be complete. 

Nancy Ferree asked if once a form is completed and sent forward, do we receive a response?  Jim Cessarano stated no they don’t send anything back.

DAT Team 4 (CP 261&187)
Both forms are complete and have been sent to Sallie Chavez.

Stuffer Project
Dave Mesiter stated they are moving forward and will have their next committee call next week Wednesday.  Once that call is complete we they have some information to forward on.

Targeted and Improved Communications
Chuck Tice reported the project is complete and it is all on TAPSpace and ready to be forwarded to whatever office it goes to.  Nancy Ferree asked where it goes from here.  Jim Cessarano stated that he has no idea where it goes.  J.T. stated that it would be helpful if someone from the IRS give us some type of review information for this presentation.  Jim stated that what he got from Sidney is that the Targeted Communications was not going to be followed up on that they were going to go with usability testing.  The committee can get a formal response from a memo and fold this issue into the testing.  Chuck stated that this power point was developed to help the IRS get a response from the mail.  It is an outstanding presentation if they would just take a look at it.  Jim suggested that if the committee has a product, put it forward when there is an opportunity.  There is going to be a memo coming to you in forms of testing.  Just be persistent about what you want to get looked at.

Vision Impaired (TIGTA) Project
Mary Suther stated that it was completed and they are just waiting to receive a response back from Jim Cesarano.

Combined Forms & Testing Project
There is nothing new to report.  Sallie Chavez wanted to know if this should be closed and Jim Cessarano stated that Barbara Powell was drafting a memo, therefore we should keep this open until we receive the memo.

Max Scott states that he don’t think we should close these issues out.  He asked Mary Suther is there anything she feels she should pass on in reference to the Visually Impaired project, as she leaves or does she feel there is nothing more to be done?  Mary Suther responded by saying that her committee agreed with the TIGTA report and the recommendations they had. We had a few more recommendations and if it is as important as she was led to believe then she feels that someone should keep up with it.  Max suggested that dealing with the subcommittees should be an order of business early in the New Year.  He also feels the new Chairman and committee members should make the decision on whether to close out these committees or not.

DAT for Forms (FAT) - (Forms Assessment Tool)
Max Scott stated that he has not done anything this month because he keeps thrashing with it.  He stated that he needs to set up a sub committee call.  He also stated that he took Jim’s suggestions and cut it back and some of the subcommittee members thought maybe he cut it back too much.  He is going to set up a call the last Wednesday of the month to go over it.

Jim asked if Max needs to talk to someone from the IRS in Forms and Pubs about IRS Forms?  Max stated that he doesn’t think so at this point but he will address it if necessary.  Jim asked Max when he thinks they will have the recommendation ready to go forward to notice improvement.  Max stated the first quarter of the New Year.

Max took this time to thank Mary Suther and Warren Wong for their time they served on the Notice Committee.

CP63 Feedback
Sallie Chavez reported the committee was asked to do a quick turn around and provide feedback on the CP63 notice.  It was completed and is now posted on TAPSpace.  Nancy Ferree wanted to thank everyone for their participation in doing this quick turn around.

Max Scott said that he welcomes the short notices and we understand, but please let’s help out because this is a place where TAP can shine.

Jim Cesarano stated that he thinks this is a really good sign of starting a new relationship.

We have a draft agenda based on last year and changes that needed to be made.  It has been posted on TAPSpace.  It is still not final and he relish any comments for what may need to be added.

Meeting Close
Lee Stieger thanked Mary Suther, Warren Wong and J.T. Wright for the participation on the Notices Committee.  He also stated that he is looking forward to ending the year and starting up a new one.

The Notices Issue committee meeting was adjourned.

Next meeting will be in December at the Annual Business Meeting.