A local lawmaker is among those sponsoring legislation that would reform the Internal Revenue Service.
In his role as ranking member of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Oversight, Republican U.S. Congressman Mike Kelly of Butler introduced the “Taxpayer First Act” on Thursday.
Kelly says this act would bring the agency into the 21st century through “service-first” reforms- like improving efficiency, increasing cyber security, modifying customer service to reflect private sector best practices, and establishing an independent appeals board. The IRS has not been altered in any way since 1998.
Anyone who has ever had to deal with the IRS can testify to how difficult navigating their customer service and how complicated it can be to find answers. On top of that, it can take weeks to receive a reply to even the most simple of inquiries as well as the minefield of fines and penalties anyone trying to file their taxes has to navigate around. This is why many people will choose to hire an expert company specializing in tax resolution services, for example, to save themselves the time and the hassle. Kelly hopes to change this reputation of the IRS and make dealing with them simpler.
“The IRS is one of the few federal agencies that has a constant relationship with Americans throughout their lives. Unfortunately, over the years that relationship has become one of fear and distrust. We can restore Americans’ faith and trust in the IRS by ensuring that the agency is acting as an advocate and meeting the needs of taxpayers,” Rep. Kelly said. “The IRS is in desperate need of a refocused mission.”
Bipartisan support for the bill from both the House and Senate suggests this proposal has a good chance to become law.