IRS Under Investigation
The number of IRS inspectors under investigation will soon nearly equal the
number of Americans suspected of tax crimes, according to the New York
Times. The Treasury Department's new inspector general for tax affairs,
David Williams, plans to investigate 4,000 workers for the 2000 fiscal
year, which began in October.
That number means that almost one out of every 28 IRS employees will be
probed in the next fiscal year for suspected misconduct. Among front-line
workers -- such as auditors and collectors -- 1 in 9 will be investigated.
This unprecedented number of investigations is one reason for IRS plans to
reduce audit rates by one-third next year.
Charges being investigated range from harassing taxpayers to theft.
By comparison, notes the Times, fewer than 1 in 2,000 workers at the
Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services will be
investigated in fiscal year 2000.
(Source: New York Times, 11/18/99)
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