Weaker IRS Enforcement Means Fewer US Citizens Willing To Pay Taxes

by Leroy Baker, Tax-News.com, New York

05 July 2002

A Reuters report published this week has revealed that although Americans consider themselves more patriotic in the wake of the September 11 attacks, less and less US citizens are willing to pay their fair share of tax.

Citing figures released by the General Accounting Office prior to yesterday's Independence Day celebrations, the news agency revealed that efforts to make the Internal Revenue Service more 'user-friendly' have gradually pulled the tax agency's teeth, a fact which has not been lost on US taxpayers, and which has resulted in a spate of non-filing and incorrect declarations.

Explaing that personal income taxes account for the federal government's largest single source of revenue, Reuters announced that: 'A sharp shortfall in April income tax receipts this year is one reason many analysts expect the government to post a deficit for the first time since 1997.'

The IRS Oversight Board, in its annual report to Congress earlier this year also linked the growing number of tax evaders to the IRS's diminishing powers.

Speaking following the release of the report, Larry Levitan, Chairman of the Oversight Board explained that since 1999, the number of US citizens who feel that it is 'not at all' acceptable to cheat on their tax returns has fallen from 87% to 76%.

'In short, one-fourth of US citizens believe it is OK to cheat on their taxes,' he testified, before stressing the need for increased IRS audits on non-filers to act as a deterrent.

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