Message from the NTEU National President

In a resounding victory for taxpayers and IRS employees, the agency has announced that it is shutting down its private tax collection program, because as IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman said, "This work is best done by IRS employees."

This is precisely what NTEU has been saying since the program's inception. Simply put, no one can perform tax collection work better than federal employees when given adequate resources and tools. Federal employees are the reason the IRS operates one of the most cost-efficient tax collection systems in the world, and IRS employees protect taxpayer privacy at a time when identity theft is rampant.

NTEU has consistently delivered this message to the IRS and Congress, calling for additional agency resources and personnel for both collection and customer service activities. I am very pleased that the IRS plans to hire more than 1,000 new collection personnel this year. I appreciate this first step toward rebuilding a depleted IRS workforce and look forward to working with Commissioner Shulman to continue to rebuild and reinvest in the IRS workforce.

This milestone victory comes on the heels of NTEU's long and aggressive national campaign involving grassroots activities and efforts to build awareness among taxpayers, the media and members of Congress.

I applaud Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Commissioner Shulman for this important vote of confidence in IRS employees and for their thoughtful consideration of the program. In addition, these members of Congress were instrumental in the decision: Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Sen. Byron Dorgan, (D-N.D.), Rep. Steven Rothman (D-N.J.), Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Rep. Charles Rangel (D-N.Y.), Rep. Jose Serrano (D-N.Y.), Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-N.J.), Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.), Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.), and House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.).

IRS employees collect the money that makes the government run. During these difficult times when Americans are looking to the government for a change in course, federal employees are in a unique position to shape the country's future in positive ways.