Lawmaker urges halt to private tax collectors (Reuters)

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Llawmaker urges halt to private tax collectors

By David Lawder
Reuters
Friday, March 23, 2007; 5:51 PM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The chairman of the tax-writing House Ways
and Means Committee on Friday urged the Internal Revenue Service to
stop hiring private firms to collect federal tax debts and said he
was launching an investigation into the practice.

Rep. Charles Rangel, a New York Democrat, said he was concerned
about violations of law by private collectors, which the IRS began
using last year.

"We have heard too many complaints and concerns about the tactics
used by private debt collectors to allow the IRS to issue new contracts,"
Rangel said in a statement. "We need to investigate these violations
to ensure that we are protecting the privacy and dignity of taxpayers,
not enabling harassment by these private companies."

-snip-

The New York congressman said in a letter to IRS Commissioner Mark
Everson that he was advised that the IRS plans to enter three to five
additional contracts with private collection firms in October, with
the procurement process starting in April. He said one of three
contracts awarded last year will not be renewed.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/03/23/AR2007032301453.html

[youngdem]

1. So, since the debt is being collected by a firm who bought the debt

can you now declare bankruptcy and dissolve the debt?

[whistle]

2. Maybe

[aquart]

3. Another privatization catastrophe.