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Residents get chance to take tax man to task Meeting here lets citizens comment on IRS methods By David Preszler Would-be audit avengers, unite. Taxpayers whose blood boils every April 15 might want to mark June 24 on their calendars. IRS forum What: Public forum on IRS policy, procedures and customer service. Who: Independent panel, appointed by the secretary of the Treasury. When: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, June 24. Where: Reston Hotel and Convention Center in Medford. Details: To sign up to speak call (888) 912-1227 toll-free. Speakers generally will get five minutes. IRS staff will be on hand to help with individual tax issues. A citizen panel taking suggestions on how to improve the Internal Revenue Service�s customer service is stopping in Medford that day to gather comments. The public is invited to attend and comment on IRS policy, procedures and customer service. The Pacific-Northwest Citizen Advocacy Panel is one of four regional panels nationwide appointed by the secretary of the Treasury. It was created in February 1999 and has held eight previous hearings. "It�s really an interesting experience," says Ron Secreto, a retired human resources specialist from the Seattle area who chairs the group. The panel is made up of a dozen citizens: five from Washington, four from Oregon, two from Hawaii and one from Alaska. Three of the Oregon representatives are from Portland while the fourth is from Sunriver. The IRS district taxpayer advocate also sits on the panel. The panel grew out of IRS hearings held before Congress in Washington. President Clinton called for the creation of the panel in 1997. Its purpose is to improve IRS responsiveness and monitor customer service. When the hearings began, Secreto says he and other panel members weren�t sure how much response they�d see. "All of us went into this pretty skeptical in the beginning," he says. "Happily, we have found that they really are changing and receptive to our suggestions. "I couldn�t believe it." Secreto joined the panel after responding to an advertisement looking for volunteers. He says he�s long held an interest in the tax system. He�s always done his own taxes and helped his parents and others with theirs. So he�s experienced many common difficulties himself. In previous hearings, Secreto says, people have gotten emotional about the IRS, complaining about everything from its mere existence to its excesses and inefficient help lines. "There are some that get pretty steamed up," he says, "but most of them handle themselves pretty well in front of us. I think they realize we�re not the IRS and are trying to help." Still, there�s been no shortage of criticism of the IRS. "We are hearing it," Secreto says. "Some of them, most of them, have legitimate complaints. We�ve gotten some very good responses from people." Each speaker will get five minutes, unless the panel grants extra time. Comments should be geared toward improving overall service rather than solving individual tax problems. The IRS will have staff on hand to help with individual issues. People who want to speak are encouraged to sign up in advance (call 888-912-1227). People who can�t attend can arrange in advance to address the panel by telephone. Secreto says he�s seen improvements in the 15 months the panel has existed. He says a 24-hour telephone help line offered this year is a step in the right direction, though there�s still room for improvement. He says the agency also has tried to tackle one of the most common complaints it receives � that citizens get incorrect or incomplete information from IRS representatives on the phone. Now, representatives who answer calls must give their name and employee number, giving taxpayers a record of whom they spoke to. Obituaries | Sports | Business | Classifieds | Tempo | Prime Times | So Oregon Sites | Outdoor Journal | Subscribe | Contact | Movies | Advertise | Real Estate Showcase | Archive | Editorials | Letters to the editor | Religion | Wake-up Call | NIE | Cyber Chef | Job Network | So Oregon Weather | WSJ Northwest | Forums | AP Wire | AP Money | F.A.Q. | Awards Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. The Community Newspaper Subsidiary of Dow Jones & Co, Inc Copyright �The Mail Tribune 2000, Medford, Oregon USA