The Center for Taxpayer Rights is pleased to introduce the second installment of its online workshop series, Reimagining Tax Administration. This series follows the Center’s first workshop sessions, Reimagining Tax Administration: Social Programs Through the Tax Code, which explored the role of the IRS in administering social benefit programs. The second series, State Tax Practices and Taxpayer Rights, will examine the 52 unique state, district, and territory tax systems and the ways in which state tax practices protect, strengthen, undermine, and impair taxpayer rights.

Although the federal tax system is commonly the subject of news headlines and debate, there are 52 additional tax systems that affect Americans, which are often overlooked despite the significant impact they have on the economic welfare of taxpayers. There are several reasons why exploring state tax administration is important.  First, balanced budget requirements have the potential to take precedence over taxpayer rights; second, fewer opportunities for pro bono representation leave low income taxpayers vulnerable in state tax disputes; and third, a lack of opportunities for state-level advocacy increase the risk that taxpayer rights protections are ignored or undermined.

This series of free workshops is based on the initial results of a nationwide survey conducted by the Center designed to collect information on the practices of each state tax administration. Working with volunteer tax professionals, the survey includes over 200 questions about each state’s income (where applicable), sales (where applicable), and property tax practices. As the Center receives results of the survey from its volunteers, we identify best practices and areas that need improvement. The survey results will provide state tax agencies, tax professionals and other stakeholders the necessary elements and practices to incorporate taxpayer rights protections into state tax administration.

Do you have suggestions for future online Reimagining Tax Administration Workshop Series? Contact the Center for Taxpayer Rights at info@taxpayer-rights.org.

The Reimagining Tax Administration workshop series is made possible by the generous support of the Rockefeller Foundation.