October 22, 2002

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service recently announced the selection of the District of Columbia and the Northern Virginia members who will serve on the new nationwide 102-member Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP).  Theodore Perros is the new TAP member for D.C. and Karen Kerrigan, from Vienna is the new TAP member for Virginia. The panel members will listen to taxpayers, identify issues, and make suggestions for improving IRS service and customer satisfaction.

"It is important to bring real-world experience to government operations," said  IRS Commissioner Charles O. Rossotti. "Because of their wealth of experience,  the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel members will bring important perspectives to help  with tax administration."

"The new panel members have an important job to make sure that the IRS provides world-class service to taxpayers.  Now that we have expanded the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel to all 50 states, we can ensure that taxpayers from every corner of the country will have their voices heard," said Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill.

TAP members are U.S. citizens who devote about 300 hours during the year to the panel.  Professions represented on the panel include former government employees, tax professionals (tax attorneys and accountants), professors, retired military, small business owners and one former state legislature member.

"I desire to participate in discussions to review certain policies of the IRS and elements of the tax code which my experience as a businessman has convinced me are fundamentally unfair," said new Washington, D.C. TAP member Theodore Perros.

"I feel strongly that citizens should play a positive and constructive role in improving government, and believe that my appointment to the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel is a meaningful way to serve my fellow citizens and my colleagues in the small business sector," said new Northern Virginia TAP member Karen Kerrigan.

Panel members will work with IRS executives on priority topics - primarily those involving the Wage and Investment Division and Small Business/Self Employed Division.  Also, members serve as a conduit for grassroots issues from the public and provide that information to the IRS.  The Director of the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel directly advises the IRS National Taxpayer Advocate.

"We look forward to working with taxpayers in improving the customer-service focus of the IRS," said Nina Olson, IRS National Taxpayer Advocate. "Working with taxpayers directly will help us identify issues that may not be on the IRS radar screen.  We can also hear their concerns about issues the IRS is already addressing and become involved before decisions are made."

For the first time, the Taxpayer Advocacy Panel will have membership from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.  Previously, the panel was called the Citizen Advocacy Panel (CAP), which was based in four regional locations and had members from only 10 states.  The Treasury Department, which sponsors the group, recommended expanding the program to include representation from all 50 states.  Each state was allotted membership based on its taxpaying population.

Taxpayers can contact their state representative to the Panel, by calling 1-888-912-1227 or via the Internet at www.imprBM__Hlt21424994oveirs.org. Taxpayers can also write to the Panel by mailing their correspondence to:

Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP)
TA: TAP Room 3031 IR
1111 Constitution Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20224