Tax Update Blog: Permalink

« Previous · Tax Update Blog Home · Next »

TREASURY EMPLOYEES UNION: WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' QUALIFICATIONS

January 18, 2005

In a bold move to protect taxpayers from excessively-competent IRS agents, the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) is trying to prevent the IRS from hiring 300 new revenue agents until the minimum qualifications are watered down.

Tax Analysts reports:

   NTEU's request comes from an arbitrator's decision in 
   July 2004 that struck down a tougher set of 
   qualifications for IRS revenue agents aimed at 
   strengthening the accounting skills of the agency's 
   enforcement personnel. The new standards would have 
   raised from 24 hours to 30 hours the minimum 
   requirement for applicants' accounting coursework 
   completed in five specific areas at an accredited college.

The NTEU has a solid grasp on the importance of mediocrity in tax enforcement. We are reminded of the immortal words of Senator Hruska when similar standards were being applied to the Supreme Court:

   ...there are a lot of mediocre judges and people and 
   lawyers," Hruska declared. "They are entitled to a little 
   representation, aren't they, and a little chance? We 
   can't have all Brandeises and Cardozos and Frankfurters 
   and stuff like that there."

Darn tootin! And it's not like the tax law is complicated or anything.

The IRS is inexplicably insisting on hiring more qualified people:

   "If you accept the logic underlying the arbitrator's 
   decision -- that the higher standard is not essential -- 
   we will be hard-pressed to meet the challenges of 
   increasingly complex schemes to hide income from IRS 
   scrutiny," IRS Commissioner Mark Everson said when 
   the agency announced it would appeal the ruling. "To 
   protect the public's interest, American taxpayers deserve 
   someone with the equivalent of a college accounting 
   degree conducting IRS audits."

No we don't! We're not worthy! We enjoy training examining agents, and our clients love to pay us to do it!

/sarcasm

No link to the Tax Analysts article is available.

For some background on the dispute, go here.

      Bookmark: del.icio.us • Digg • reddit