Private contractors to collect tax debt; IRS union objects, despite terrible filing season

Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa today made the following comment on the National Treasury Employees Union's opposition to the use of private contractors to collect tax debt.  The provision is part of the proposed highway bill in the Senate.

"The IRS union is already opposing the use of private contractors to collect taxes that's part of the proposed highway bill.  Meanwhile, the IRS just had one of the worst filing seasons for customer service on record, according to the agency's own taxpayer advocate.  The number of 'courtesy disconnects skyrocketed' this last filing season.  That means the IRS hung up on callers because it couldn't handle the calls.  The private contractors would take on accounts involving taxes that are due and owed that are just sitting dormant right now.  The IRS isn't even pursuing them.  It seems unlikely to do so any time soon when it has trouble answering the phone from people who are trying to pay their taxes.  It's hard to see the logic for the resistance."