This Tax Day, Don’t Give the IRS More Money…or Power

For Immediate Release                                                 Contact: Abigail Graham: (202) 417-7235

April 17, 2023                                                     

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Tomorrow, as millions of Americans across the country file their taxes, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) calls on members of Congress to hold the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) accountable for delayed refunds, privacy breaches, and outdated hardware and software. TPA also urges Congress to avoid proposals to create a government run tax prep system that will only further strain the agency’s ability to fulfill its current duties.

In response, David Williams, TPA President, offered the following comment:

“Tomorrow is Tax Day, the most dreaded day of the year for taxpayers. As taxpayers send the government their hard-earned money, taxpayers are reminded of how the federal government inefficiently spends its resources and how inefficient the IRS is. Congress should be looking to ease the tax burden on the American people. Instead, they have proposed a government run tax prep system and are currently conducting a $15 million study on the feasibility of such a system.

“They have proven incapable of safely storing taxpayer data. They have a backlog of millions of unfinished tax returns. Instead of giving the agency new authority and money to also file taxes on behalf of all Americans, perhaps the IRS should focus on tidying up its customer service—like answering phone calls or updating its computer systems.

“Such a system would shift the burden of proof onto taxpayers to resolve any discrepancies and will ultimately be used as another way to squeeze more out of the hard-working men and women of America. This Tax Day, Congress and the IRS should focus on taxpayers and avoid proposals that grant an already struggling agency even more power and authority.”

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Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to educating the public through the research, analysis and dissemination of information on the government’s effects on the economy.