As tax season ramps up, the IRS is requesting an additional $2 billion in order to beef up their staff by another 9,000 employees.
The IRS says they need the additional hires to handle enforcing Obamacare’s tax provisions. This request comes on the heels of President Obama releasing his $4 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, $13.9 billion of which would be delegated to the IRS.
Obama’s budget proposal would enact a 16% increase from the Internal Revenue Service’s $11.9 billion budget for fiscal year 2015. According to The Daily Signal:
“As the tax law changes, the IRS must implement programs to ensure that taxpayers understand the new laws, and that the IRS can address noncompliance,” the agency’s budget proposal states.
In addition, the agency requested $301.5 million to hire close to 3,000 additional staff to assist taxpayers calling into the agency with questions. The IRS said it needs to staff to address the “increased demand” for assistance resulting from Obamacare’s implementation and managing taxpayer submissions relating to the health care law.”
Last year, IRS funding was hit with a 15% reduction. The IRS budget reduction was spearheaded by Republicans in response to the agency’s targeting of tax-exempt conservative organizations, as well as spending lavish amounts of taxpayer money on expensive conventions and bonuses.
The Washington Times reports that the main goal of these cuts was to restructure and reprioritize the workings of the IRS to it’s “core functions:”
“The goal is to keep the tax agency focused on its “core duties,” and eliminate efforts to judge the political activities of tax-exempt groups and brake its implementation of Obamacare.
The funding is part of a larger $21 billion bill for several agencies including the IRS, Treasury Department and Securities and Exchange Commission. Noting that it cuts $2.3 billion from the president’s overall request, Chairman Hal Rogers said, “the bill focuses cuts on lower-priority or poor-performing agencies, such as the scandal-plagued and inefficient Internal Revenue Service.”
The Department of Health and Human Services has announced its intention to work with tax-preparation companies such as H&R Block, and several others, in order to aid with any questions taxpayers might have surrounding the new rules associated with Obamacare.
The post The IRS is Looking to Fill 9000 Positions in Preparation for the New Obamacare Taxes appeared first on Independent Journal.