SB/SE Payroll Tax Issue Committee Meeting Minutes

February 5 2004
3pm EST

Attendance

• Jim Abraham
• Clayton Agena
• Charles Silva
• Leonard Steinberg
• Steven Wood

Staff

• Mary Peterson O'Brien, Program Analyst and Designated Federal Official
• Marla Ofilas, Note Taker

Roll Call
Mary took roll call. 6 were in attendance and quorum was met.

Welcome
Leonard thanked Mary for taking roll call and apologized for attending the meeting late. Leonard reviewed the agenda and began the next topic.

Review/Approve Minutes
Leonard reviewed the minutes from December's conference call. Leonard asked if there were any comments or changes that needed to be corrected to the minutes. There were no changes and all committee members in favor for approving the minutes.

Leonard reviewed the minutes from January's conference call. Leonard asked if there were any comments or changes that needed to be corrected to the minutes. There were no changes and all committee members in favor for approving the minutes.

Subcommittee Report Out
Steve provided an update for the Reporting Subcommittee. The survey's have been put together and sent out to the members. Members have been conducting interviews. The committee has set a due date to complete the interviews. Steve would like to be able to compile all the information and have all the information available for the face-to-face meeting in March. Leonard asked Steve if the information that he gathers is going to be a position statement that would be presented to Margie or is this just the results of the survey. Steve stated that he had envisioned it to be a summarized statement with recommendations as the committee has done in the past. Mary stated that she had developed a database to analyze the surveys.

Steve clarified that the committee would receive the initial statement for their position. Steve doesn't feel that the subcommittee will have a final recommendation by the weekend of the face-to-face meeting.

Mary asked Steve go give her a reasonable amount of time before his next subcommittee meeting to gather information that their committee would need. Steve agreed

Leonard provided the report out for Frank Wood's deposit committee. Jim Abraham will be making the formal presentation at the face-to-face meeting. Mary is working on research material for Leonard, which would complete his position paper with Dave on the penalty aspect on the 941 deposits. Leonard explained that due to the resignation of some of the panel members, the subcommittee is now down some members and that the remaining members will need to discuss how to cover commitments.

Leonard asked if anyone had any questions so far. Charles asked if Leonard's committee is working on the idea of an annual 941? Leonard replied yes. He explained that during the last teleconference the idea was brought up to also considering semi-annual deposits.

Leonard provided information regarding Area 2 and their work on W-4's. Area 2 is making a recommendation to the JC that a percentage line be included so a person has the option of putting down a percentage of their salary rather than a dollar amount. He explained that if this committee would like to include that recommendation as well, Leonard felt that the committee should and piggyback on that recommendation to the Joint Committee.

Action: Mary committee to send out the template that the Joint Committee developed for making a recommendation.

March Face-to Face Meeting
Leonard asked for input to what items need to be added to the March agenda for both the entire panel as well as the subcommittees.

Mary made a suggestion to the committee. She asked that the subcommittee decided how long they would need meet as a subcommittee group to complete their work. This would help in deciding the length of the breakout session and time needed for Margie's presentation. Leonard explained that it was his intent that the committee meets for the entire morning of the first day. Then they break out in the afternoon for the rest of the day and gather at the end of the day to make further plans for Saturday morning.

The committee continued to discuss suggestions that were given. The committee agreed to a draft final agenda:

Friday March 19th 2004

• 8am – 9:30am Group Meeting
• 9:30am – 10:30am Margie
• 10:30am – Noon Subcommittee break out
• 1:30pm – 4:00pm Subcommittee break out
• 4:00pm – 5:00pm Group Meeting and will set agenda for Saturday Morning.

Saturday March 20th 2004

• 8am – 9am Group Meeting
• 9am – 10am Subcommittee break out
• 10am Group Meeting

Mary reminded the committee to let her know if they would like her to bring research materials to assist in their work. Leonard agreed that all materials would be helpful.

Action: Mary will ensure that an additional computer printer will be available for panel use. In addition, Mary confirmed flip charts and a copier machine would also be available.

Leonard explained to the committee that there would be no teleconference in March due to the face-to-face meeting. But asked that each of the subcommittees have one more teleconference before the meeting in Las Vegas . Mary reviewed travel information and asked that the members contact Marla regarding their airline reservations.

Action: Mary will email the committee, as a reminder, to prepare a report of the issue their subcommittee is working on that will state the problem, state the conclusion then list the pros and cons. The committee has agreed to send their report to Mary by March 12th so Mary could disseminate all reading materials prior to the face-to-face meeting.