Private tax collection bid endures
Source: By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press, Jun 28, 4:45 PM ET
An initiative to farm out tax collection to private agencies survived a challenge Thursday from House lawmakers who said the program was improper and should be eliminated.
.......... The IRS says it has set strict standards on the collection tactics to protect taxpayer privacy and prevent harassment. Visits to taxpayer homes are banned, as are late-night calls.
But critics say tax collection is inherently a public function and inadequate IRS resources don't justify handing over that job to private collectors. Besides the effort to curtail funding for the program, several bills have been introduced in the House and Senate to kill it outright.