IR-2011-18, Feb. 18, 2011 WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced the selection of 32 new members to serve on the nationwide Taxpayer Advocacy Panel. The TAP is a federal advisory committee charged with providing direct taxpayer feedback to the IRS. The new TAP members will join 70 returning members to round out the panel of 102 volunteers for 2011. The new members were selected from more than 500 interested individuals from all over the country who applied during an open recruitment period last spring. "TAP members represent the nation’s taxpayers, both in what they want and what they need," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "They provide the IRS with invaluable insights to ensure that the taxpaying public has a voice in the tax administration process. " The TAP listens to taxpayers, identifies issues and makes suggestions for improving IRS service and customer satisfaction. Oversight and program support for the TAP are provided by the Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent organization within the IRS that helps resolve taxpayer problems and make recommendations to avoid future problems. "It is extremely important that the IRS consider the needs and preferences of America’s taxpayers," said Nina E. Olson, National Taxpayer Advocate. "The vital work of these citizen volunteers helps the IRS provide all taxpayers with the top quality service they deserve." TAP members work with IRS executives on priority topics, primarily those involving the Wage & Investment and Small Business/Self-Employed operating divisions. Members also serve as a conduit for bringing grassroots concerns raised by the taxpaying public to the attention of the IRS, along with recommendations for improvement. TAP members are U.S. citizens who volunteer to serve a three-year appointment and are expected to devote 300 to 500 hours per year to panel activities. TAP members are demographically and geographically diverse, providing balanced representation from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Taxpayers can contact the TAP representative for their geographic area by calling 888-912-1227 (a toll-free call) or via the Internet at www.improveirs.org. Taxpayers can also send written correspondence to the TAP at the following address: Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) TA: TAP, Room 1314 1111 Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20224 Individuals interested in volunteering to serve on the TAP for 2012 may submit an application via the website www.improveirs.org during the next open recruiting period, which will begin in March 2011. A list of the new TAP members by state is included below. New Taxpayer Advocate Members Last Name First Name City State Acero Antonio Myrtle Beach SC Baldwin Barbara Auburn CA Bekolo Paulette Germain Chapel Hill NC Bilancia Richard Loveland CO Brandewie Shaun Sidney OH Davine Jeffrey Los Angeles CA DelTergo Michael Westfield NJ Eng Harry St. Charles IL Fisher Aileen Burlingame CA Fishman Annie Rockwall TX Hayden Robert Monroe MI Hitchcock Colleen Lacey WA Janci Gerald Pittsboro MS Kalimeris Angeliki Woonsocket RI Kelly Eileen Wilmette IL Kendall Edith Marion IA Kennerty Michael Lawrenceville GA Levine David Reno NV Marshalek Mark Powell OH McPeak Catherine Plano TX Palmer George McLoud OK Perez Santa Las Vegas NV Petersen-Grosse Chris Elkhart IN Purkayastha PK Saline MI Rible Robert Santa Cruz CA Roy Brian Nashua NH Silva Michael North East MD Smith Toni Omaha NE Webster Walter Dauphin PA Wechter Thomas Glencoe IL Williams Cindi Summerset SD Wongshue Lina Orlando FL Subscribe to IRS Newswire
