New York Metro Meeting Minutes

Date: April 26, 2001

Time: 6:00-9:20 PM

Location: 10 MetroTech Center, 625 Fulton Street, 6^th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201

Panel Members Attending

• Horace Aiken
• Eileen Cain, Acting DFO
• Laura Greenberg Ethel Richards
• Anthony Fandozzi, Vice-Chairperson
• Burton Kahn
• Edward Maher, Chairperson
• Matthew Mihovich
• Ethel Richards
• John Rotondi

CAP Staff Attending:

• Noemi Gonzalez
• Gita Hecht
• James McGurn

Absentees:

• Mercedes Cintrón
• Jim Montes

IRS Attendees:

• Ginny Kelliher, Senior Associate Advocate
• Francine Sands, Senior Associate Advocate

Public Attendees:

None

Opening of the Meeting

Chairperson Maher opened the meeting at 6:00 PM. He introduced and welcomed Ginny Kelliher and Francine Sands, Senior Associate Advocates at the Brookhaven Service Center.

Minutes

The minutes from the 3/28/01 meeting were reviewed. Referencing the Filing Season Readiness Committee, Vice-chair Fandozzi requested that CAP be invited to attend next year's committee meetings. Panel member Mihovich inquired if minutes of the meetings are available and Acting DFO Cain responded that she would be able to obtain copies for the Panel. Vice-chair Fandozzi questioned how the appointment system for taxpayers worked. Acting DFO Cain responded that currently taxpayers are given same day appointments when they arrive but next year taxpayers will be able to receive an appointment in advance. Panel member Mihovich made a motion to accept the minutes as amended. Seconded by panel member Greenberg and agreed by the panel.

Organ Donation

Panel Chair Maher noted that at last month's meeting the Panel was asked to support Senator Schumer's bill to establish an online registry for organ donation and to urge the IRS to include information on the issue when sending tax filing packages. Vice-chair Fandozzi noted that Health & Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson has called for similar legislation. After discussion by the Panel members it was determined to table the issues until Congress settles the bills being considered.

CAP Logo

Panel member Mihovich requests that the Panel consider making a proposal to change the CAP logo. He stated that the current logo does not visually separate CAP from the IRS and as such does not support CAP's independent role. The logo should reflect the fact that CAP is an advisory body to the IRS. After discussion it was agreed that members will forward suggested logos to him, and that he will then format the logos for consideration by the Panel at the next meeting.

AICPA Issues

Panel member Aiken stated that the sub-committee met on April 19^th to consider the tax simplification proposals made by the AICPA to Congress. Panel member Aiken will contact the AICPA to clarify certain positions and that staff will also research selected recommendations. The sub-committee will then submit a report with recommendations for consideration by the Panel.

2441 Proposal

Panel member Greenberg reviewed with the Panel the letter drafted to the Honorable Philip M. Crane, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. The letter endorses Sec. 101(b)(2) of H.R. 253 (redefining "applicable percentage" and raising the AGI ceiling) and urges the inclusion of the inflation adjustment provided for in Sec. 401 of H.R. 265. To clarify the letter, Panel member Greenberg also reviewed the table comparing the differences between H.R. 265, H.R. 206, and H.R. 263. The letter and table are attached and are integral parts to these minutes. The consensus of the Panel was to forward the letter.

New Member Orientation

Panel Chair Maher reviewed the role the Panel will play in the orientation of new members. Booz Allen Hamilton will do a one-day segment on team building and goal setting. The CAP staff will do a further orientation, with participation by current members. Chairperson Maher requested volunteers to participate in a phone conference to plan the agenda for that segment of the orientation. Panel members Fandozzi, Aiken, Richards, and Maher will participate. Panel member Mihovich suggested new members attend a Panel meeting prior to the orientation.

Town Hall Meeting

Panel Chair Maher updated the members on the status of the May 10^th Town Hall meeting. Ads have been placed in "The West Side Spirit" and "Our Town". The ads will run weekly for three consecutive weeks prior to the meeting. Flyers (10,000) will be handed out in the vicinity of Norman Thomas High School during the two days prior to the meeting.

New Issues

• CAP Manager Cain attended a CAP manager meeting in Dallas. Among the issues discussed were:

• Recruitment - Recruitment will be a year round activity. A list will be kept of potential new members to be utilized for replacement of a resigning member, to fill gaps from a potential shortfall, and for normal rotations. The current application may be streamlined.
• Phone Lines - The Panel may wish to consider expanding the phone lines to include all of New York State, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

• Marketing - Will be divided into two segments - Internal and External. The internal will focus on employee communications (e.g. New Directions, IR Web, and SERP) and Advisory boards, State Advocacy Groups, CPE's, etc. Recruitment will be treated as a separate issue since it focuses on a separate audience and has a different message. Recruitment can be tagged onto other material. Each Panel, using the CAP Speak UP material, will design their external strategy.

• Paid Advertising - Paid advertising will be utilized in a limited way - No general advertising, must be to a targeted audience, must first exhaust free placement, and results will be tracked for effectiveness.

Panel member Mihovich stated he is against expanding the phone lines to other areas since the Panel does not represent those taxpayers. The Panel members will consider this issue for later discussion. Vice-chair Fandozzi stated after reviewing the new member applications he would not like the application "streamlined" since the current questions provide meaningful insight into the candidate's qualifications and skills. Several other members concurred. Cap Manager Cain will present these concerns to the National CAP Office.

• Panel member Rotondi has drafted a freedom of information request to receive the list of those taxpayers that are entitled to refunds that have gone undeliverable. This list has been sent to the media for publication but the IRS is prevented from posting it on their website. The intention is that once received the panel can post it on the CAP website. The panel discussed the issue. Acting DFO Cain advised that since the website is funded by the IRS, the panel may face the same legal obstacle to posting the list that prevents the IRS from placing it on their website. A second obstacle may be obtaining the necessary funds to modify the CAP website to accommodate the interactive features that would be required. The consensus of the panel was to go forward with the request after the letter has been amended. Panel member Rotondi will draft an amended letter. The panel will discuss further at the next meeting.

• Panel member Mihovich submitted a recommendation that the Panel consider making a proposal to have the IRS create a form for taxpayers to submit fraud referrals. The form would be included in the tax filing packages. Currently no such form exists. The panel discussed the issue and Chairperson Maher requested panel members to review the recommendation and to provide feedback to panel member Mihovich. Vice-chair Fandozzi requested the staff to provide the current IRS procedures on reports of tax fraud. The recommendation will be discussed further at the next meeting.

Adjournment

Panel member Greenberg made a motion to adjourn and Panel member Aiken seconded the motion. The meeting was adjourned at 9:20 PM

I hereby certify that, to the best of my knowledge, the foregoing minutes are accurate and complete.

Edward Maher, Chairperson

New York Metro Citizen Advocacy Panel