Former commissioners warn that delays in nominating a new commissioner raise the prospect that transformation efforts will fail.
-
Send any friend a story
As a subscriber, you have “>10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share.
Give this articleGive this articleGive this article
The White House has yet to nominate a replacement for Charles P. Rettig, the commissioner of the I.R.S., whose term will end on Nov. 12.
WASHINGTON — A group of former Internal Revenue Service commissioners is raising concerns over the fact that the White House has yet to nominate a replacement for Charles P. Rettig, whose term as I.R.S. commissioner is scheduled to expire next month, warning that the looming vacancy could stall the Biden administration’s planned $80 billion overhaul of the agency.
The additional funds are expected to help the beleaguered I.R.S. crack down on tax cheats, improve customer service and update antiquated technology. The funds, which were included in a bill that Democrats passed, are a central part of the Biden administration’s plans to raise more than $120 billion in additional tax revenue over the next decade.
Overseeing that transition will be a significant undertaking, and several former I.R.S. leaders are warning that the lack of a new leader could hamper the transformation of the agency.
The term of Mr. Rettig, who was appointed by President Donald J. Trump, will end on Nov. 12.
The former commissioners, who served under Democratic and Republican presidents, are Fred Goldberg, Charles Rossotti, Mark Everson and John Koskinen. They were joined in their statement by Nina Olson, a former national taxpayer advocate.
“A prompt appointment of the next commissioner is essential,” they wrote in the statement, which was reviewed by The New York Times. “Until that position is filled, essential improvements to the I.R.S. are at serious risk of delay, if not failure.”
They added: “Only a confirmed commissioner can build external and internal support for such a big and complex transformation of an agency.”
It is not unusual for an agency such as the I.R.S. to have an interim leader during a period of transition. However, the nomination delay is surprising considering that Democrats have long wanted to bolster the resources of the agency.
The deployment of the additional resources is also the subject of intense political focus, with Republicans warning that the 87,000 planned new hires will become a shadow army intended to target conservatives.
Treasury Secretary Janet L. Yellen sent Mr. Rettig a memo in August outlining her top priorities, including clearing a backlog of unprocessed tax returns, improving taxpayer services, revamping antiquated technology and hiring thousands of new employees. She directed the agency to draft the plans within six months, and she tapped her deputy, Wally Adeyemo, to work with Mr. Rettig to develop the new initiatives and timelines.
The role of the I.R.S. commissioner can be a difficult one to fill because of the scrutiny that the position attracts.
The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Mr. Rettig’s replacement.
Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said on Monday that she did not have anything to preview in terms of a future nominee but that the timeline would not affect the transformation of the I.R.S.
“It’s not going to slow down the overhaul of the agency,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said. “We take this very seriously.”
But the former commissioners are not convinced.
Mr. Rossotti said in an interview that money alone would not modernize the I.R.S. and that the Biden administration should prioritize putting someone in place to put its imprint on the agency.
“If you have a situation where you’ve created expectations, but there’s no progress because there’s not a leader, that’s not a good situation,” Mr. Rossotti said.
/
Source: nytimes.com
