Posted on 01/22/2017 8:55:12 PM PST by SeekAndFind
Donald Trump’s oft-used excuse for not releasing his tax returns is that they are still under audit at the US Internal Revenue Service—no matter that this doesn’t prevent their release—but if his pick for Treasury secretary gets his way, the interminable audit may end sooner.
Steven Mnuchin, the investor tapped by Trump for the top job in US economic policy, told lawmakers at his confirmation hearing today (Jan. 19) that he would like to expand the workforce at the IRS and modernize technology there in order to collect more taxes.
“The IRS headcount has gone down quite dramatically, almost 30% over the last couple of years,” Mnuchin noted, pointing out that cutting a revenue-generating department was not exactly an efficient move. He made the observation in response to a question about the “tax gap,” or the difference between what should be collected and how much ends up in the government coffers.
He said that as Treasury secretary—whose remit includes tax collection—he would like to reverse those cuts and improve customer service, adding later that modernizing the agency would be “one of my great priorities.”
“I can assure you that the president-elect understands the concept of where we add people, we make money,” Mnuchin said. “That’s a very quick conversation with Donald Trump.”
Unspoken was that many of the lawmakers in the incoming president’s own party had voted in favor of the spending cuts that lead to those reductions in headcount. The IRS has seen its staffing reduced by some 13,000 employees since Republicans regained control of the House of Representatives in 2010. So far, Trump has promised to continue budget cutting at federal agencies.
Republicans also have been upset with the IRS over its scrutiny of conservative groups seen as potential violators of campaign finance and money laundering rules.
(Excerpt) Read more at qz.com ...
Difference is, government does not make money like actual businesses do.
It is a fatal flaw to think they are the same thing.
Just as long as they eviscerate the tax laws at the same time...
If the last several decades have shown us anything, the IRS should be eliminated. It is the singlemost dangerous agency in the government. It can take everything you own and put you in prison.
I met the guy 2 years ago on the Warner bros. lot before. If you dont who Mnuchin is, you might have heard of the past movies he made...including Clint Eastwood’s Sully where he was the producer.
JAIL FOR LERNER..!!
Clearly the guy hasn’t been on the job, looked at the data, and is simply speaking from what he knows. Some businesses HAVE cut too far, down to the bone, and it has been counterproductive. I doubt the IRS is like that but give the guy a break until he’s confirmed and let’s see what happens then. I could see additional enforcement people along with a reduction in other areas resulting from simplification of the tax code.
Customer service? You got to be kidding us.Abolish the whole scheme and replace with the fair tax.
Flat tax requires less bodies than IRS employees now.
This plan smells bad. Goobermint employees aint Cheap to Keep.
Wrong answer. We need fewer employees in government — especially the IRS which is larger than many huge companies. Simplify the tax code and that will certainly help.
Wrong answer.
Wrong plan.
Wrong guy.
No.
Not crazy about this guy. But he will have to do Trump’s bidding, his opinions don’t count for much.
This is a good thing.
Slash the IRS’s budget.
Fake news. The department is to be abolished in year #2.
RE: The department is to be abolished in year #2.
What reliable source is this?
This would be a reallocation.
I find it very hard to swallow that the Trump administration just wants to grow the beast as a whole.
Regular IRS + swamp cleaners = bigger IRS.
I think this headline may be a matter of misreading what Mnuchin wants. He wants to put the bean counters where it actually counts. The Barack Obama administration used the IRS as an Obamacare babysitter. This isn’t going to continue.
Whatever he means, it’s still a completely idiotic statement to make.
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