Marie Gluesenkamp Perez Questions Scott Bessent on IRS Audits and Tax System Issues

IRS Audit Equity and Enforcement

• 💡 Representative Gluesenkamp Perez highlights that individuals filing for the Earned Income Tax Credit are approximately four times more likely to be audited.
• 🎯 The current plan involves reviewing IRS audit processes to stop politicization and examine the distribution of who is audited and why.
• ⚠️ Concerns were raised about proposals to track small payments on platforms like Venmo, which have faced pushback.

Tax System Failures and Working People

• 🛠️ Both the Representative and Secretary Bessent agree that the current tax system has failed working people, including those in manual labor, driving, and caregiving roles.
• 📈 The discussion touches on the need for upward pressure on wages, with a focus on increasing manufacturing jobs, which historically offer greater potential for wage growth compared to service sector jobs.
• 🏡 The importance of economic self-determination is emphasized, linking it to the ability to own land and homes, particularly in rural communities with factory jobs.

Building Real Wealth and Small Business Support

• 💰 True wealth building is framed around tangible assets like owning land and having access to capital for starting businesses, rather than just nominal gains or stock market performance.
• ⚖️ The need for antitrust enforcement is mentioned to ensure a level playing field for small businesses.

Improving IRS Customer Service

• 📞 A key issue raised is constituents having trouble reaching a real person at the IRS when calling with questions about their tax returns.
• ⏳ The plan to improve customer service includes moving money into IRS phone banks and implementing common-sense staffing solutions, particularly to better handle call volumes during peak tax seasons (January 15th to April 15th).