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Brooklyn

CITIZEN ADVOCACY PANEL (CAP)

Brooklyn District Meeting Minutes

Date: September 8, 2000

Time: 6:00-9:20 PM

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

Panel Members Attending:

  • Jim Montes, Chairperson
  • Laura Greenberg
  • Edward Maher, Vice-Chairperson
  • Ethel Richards
  • Matthew Mihovich
  • Burton Kahn
  • Tony Fandozzi
  • Mercedes Cintrón
  • Horace Aiken

IRS Staff Attending:

  • James McGurn, CAP Analyst
  • Eileen Cain, CAP Manager
  • Leonides Rivera, CAP Secretary
  • Kevin McKeon, Communications Manager
  • George Deller, Senior Analyst

Absentees:

  • John Rotondi
  • Marie Nahikian
  • Kristen Bailey, DFO

Guests:

  • None

Public Attendees:

  • None

Opening of the Meeting

Vice-Chairperson Maher opened the meeting at 6:10 PM.

Information Items

Cap Manager Cain advised the members that National Taxpayer Advocate Oveson has resigned his position effective October 1, 2000. She also advised that CAP Secretary Rivera will be returning to her official position shortly and a temporary secretary will take over her duties. CAP Manager Cain advised that staff will make the arrangements for the members travel to the Atlanta conference. Members should advise the staff on the dates and times that they wish to travel. She also requested the members to review the top twenty concerns from Advocate Oveson's 1999 report to Congress and provide feedback to her by September 11th on which issues they feel are of concern. The September 27th meeting is cancelled. The Small Business Committee will meet at 6:00 PM on September 28th. Media training is available. Those members interested should contact CAP manager Cain.

Review of March 2, 2000 and June 28, 2000 Minutes

On a motion made by Panel member Kahn and seconded by Panel member Greenberg, the Panel members accepted the August 9, 2000 minutes as amended. On a motion made by Panel member Richards and seconded by Panel member Aiken, the Panel members accepted the June 7, 2000 minutes as amended.

New Proposals

  • Estimated Taxes - Panel member Greenberg requested consensus to submit the proposal to have IRS permit taxpayers the option to pay their estimated taxes through automatic deduction from their checking accounts. The panel agreed to submit the proposal to the National Advocate. The proposal is attached and is an integral part of these minutes.
  • E-File - Panel member Fandozzi discussed his E-File incentive project. He stated his research indicates IRS is pleased with the growth in taxpayer use. He noted President Clinton's proposal to allow a $10.00 credit to the taxpayer that E-files was not accepted by Congress. He feels that Congress may have considered the credit as a gift and not as an incentive and that if the cost savings factor could be shown, perhaps it would be better received. He would like the staff to research how much money is spent on processing paper returns VS E-File expense. Staff will follow up.

  • Employee Vs Independent Contractor - After feedback from some Panel members, Panel member Mihovich requested if further feedback could be given. The members discussed various parts of the possible proposal. The Panel would like the staff to get publications on the topic in order to better understand the issue. Staff will follow up. At this time there is no consensus to consider submitting a proposal. Analyst Deller suggested that the topic be brought up in discussions with other CAPs at the National Conference.

  • Meeting Invitations - Vice-Chairperson Maher raised the issue of inviting public officials to the business meetings. The Panel members discussed and the consensus was that meetings with public officials would be best held at their office, although a public official would be welcome to attend if they requested to come.

  • Standardized W2 Form - Panel member Fandozzi has stated the feedback he has received from practitioners is that there is no real substance to the issue. He requests the issue be dropped and the Panel agreed.
  • Taxpayer Proposal
    • - Panel member Kahn advised that the taxpayer was unable to attend the meeting but would be available at the next meeting to discuss his proposals. In regards to including a line item for IRA deductions on the 1040 EZ, the Panel requests that the staff get some impact information on the suggestion. Staff will follow up. The matter is tabled until the next meeting.

New Business/ Other Matters

  • Outreach/self mailer/video

Vice-chairperson Maher advised that the Marketing Committee met with National Office staff today to discuss the Emmerling Post advertising plans. Since the marketing will affect the entire metro region it was agreed that the staff will open the toll free line to include Manhattan. The Panel then discussed changing the name of the Panel to New York Metropolitan Area CAP. The Self-Mailers have not yet arrived. Panel member Fandozzi updated the Panel on his video project. He spoke with his New York State contacts and was advised that their video cost $150,000 to produce but that the funding came from corporate sponsorship and many of the actors worked pro-bono. Next step is to work with Communications manager McKeon to find out who in IRS could make contacts to possible corporate sponsors.

  • Paid Advertising

Panel member Fandozzi advised the Panel he will be working with Communications Manager McKeon to submit a proposal on the issue.
  • CAP Information at IRS Walk In Sites.

Panel member Fandozzi noted that the CAP banner has been relocated to a more visible area and a CAP literature rack is also installed. Panel member Cintrón stated she will pursue placing the literature in New York State Taxation sites. The Panel concurs on this idea. Panel member Fandozzi would like to see the literature available in other offices of the district.

Reports of Working Committees

  • Statute of Limitations

Since Panel member Rotondi is not present no new information is available but Chairperson Montes advised that he is still drafting a final proposal.

  • Small Business

Panel member Richards advised that the cut off date for submitting an application to host a free tax clinic is September 15th. She is concerned because Medgar Evers missed the cut off last year and now seems that because of the late notice they will once again be late. She would like to know if an extension can be granted. Communications Manager McKeon suggests contact with Merle O'Brien from the outreach group. On August 23rd Panel member Richards and staff member Hecht participated in a conference call with other CAPS and the Customer Account Services on ways to better improve services to small business owners. Panel member Cintrón advised the Panel she is pursuing working with the States partnership with IRS in a project known a STAWRS (Simplified Tax and Wage Reporting System). She will find out who the IRS contact is and provide updates to the Panel.
  • Language Diversity

Panel member Mihovich reported he is still waiting for copies of the disks.

Adjournment

Panel Member Cintrón made a motion to adjourn. Panel member Mihovich seconded. The meeting adjourned at 9:15 P.M.

Attachments:

Estimated Tax Proposal

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

Jim Montes, Chairperson

Brooklyn District Citizen Advocacy Panel