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Sunday, November 16, 1997

Kinder, gentler IRS emerges at Problem Solving Day

By CHRISTY LEMIRE Associated Press Writer

DALLAS (AP) - Tina Marsh drove two hours to meet with an Internal Revenue Service agent for help clearing up about $1,000 in back taxes. She walked out of her half-hour meeting Saturday filled with hope.

"I have no assets, so they told me they would put my taxes on hold until I can get my finances up to par," said Mrs. Marsh, a 28-year-old hairstylist from Marshall. "They were really nice.

"I always thought the IRS was a monster, but it wasn't like that at all."

Mrs. Marsh was one of about 100 taxpayers who attended the IRS' Problem Solving Day at a North Dallas federal building. Similar sessions were held in Austin, Houston and 30 other cities in an attempt to pacify taxpayer grievances.

Across the nation, 3,500 taxpayers made appointments to discuss questions about escalating penalty assessments or clearing up late returns. Hundreds of IRS workers were on hand to handle appointments and walk-in cases.

Prior to Saturday, Yvonne Jones' dealings with the IRS have been less than positive. She brought with here an inch-thick stack of tax records to help sort out the roughly $10,000 in back taxes she's owed since 1992, when she withdrew money from her 401(k).

"It's terror - holy terror," the Mesquite resident said as she waited to speak with an agent. "I haven't had any real contact with anyone - it's just been paperwork. They haven't been real reasonable with interest and penalties."

The IRS hopes face-to-face contact will smooth relations with taxpayers, said Philip Beasley, public information for the IRS' North Texas District.

In recent Senate investigative hearings, the agency was accused of abuses including the use of illegal tax collection quotas and shakedowns of lower-income taxpayers.

"If they have a complaint, if we've done something or if one employee has done something that's not right, we'll sit and listen," Beasley said. "We hope people can resolve their issues so they can get on with their lives. They can get a fresh start and we can get a fresh start."

Even though Ethel Weaver of Carrollton, a Dallas suburb, owes taxes from seven years ago, she actually feels sympathy for IRS agents. She attended Problem Solving Day to find out how to refile her old tax returns.

"I thought they were overworked with paperwork," said Ms. Weaver, 57. "Stop and think about the millions and millions of returns they have to deal with."

Meanwhile, Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., and other House Republicans piggybacked on the IRS event by holding their own tax-related "town hall" meetings. At a rally in Roswell, Ga., Gingrich denounced the IRS event as a "public relations gimmick designed by the White House."

"It's a nice thing to do but it's not a substitute for the kind of profound reform that is in the IRS reform bill that was passed by the House two weeks ago," Gingrich said.Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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