The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been beefing up under the Biden Administration in an effort to target more taxpayers and small businesses.
Leaders in the Free State of Florida have noticed and are standing up to make sure their taxpayers are protected.
Jimmy Patronis, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, has launched the Florida IRS Transparency Portal. This portal, under the “Tax Advocate” position within the CFO’s office, is a resource for individuals, private businesses, and non-profits. It allows taxpayers to report discrimination and abuse from the IRS. This portal will then help identify which agents are harassing Floridians.
The creation of this Transparency Portal comes at a critical time. In Summer 2023, it was found that the IRS was intentionally racking up taxpayer bills by backdating penalty documents and signatures. Alarmingly, when testifying before Congress, IRS Commissioner, Daniel Werfel, admitted that there are no specific penalties in place for the IRS agents committing this fraud against taxpayers.
Additionally, the IRS has continued its power trip by refusing to change its definition of high-income households, as per the request of a Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. Rather than upholding Biden’s promise to avoid increasing audits on middle-income households and small businesses making less than $400,000, the IRS has chosen to maintain its definition of high-income households as one that makes $200,000+. Essentially, the IRS will continue to target and raise audits on anyone they desire to.
The lack of consequences associated with these abuses of power only adds to concerns about IRS intimidation of taxpayers. Thus, Florida is taking proactive measures.
Florida legislators joined in supporting this effort, including Senator Blaise Ingoglia (R), Senator Tom Wright (R), and Representative Toby Overdorf (R). Overdorf expressed his gratitude for the project, stating that “Florida will not stand by and let Washington take advantage of our taxpayers to fund their next mammoth spending project.”