Schumer Urges IRS To Spare 135 Jobs In New York City And Long Island
The IRS is planning to consolidate operations and send 135 jobs in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Holtsville to Ohio, Utah, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee
Schumer, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, makes personal appeal to IRS Commissioner to reconsider decision
US Senator Charles E. Schumer today implored Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Mark W. Everson to overrule the proposal to transfer 135 jobs from the IRS's Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Holtsville offices to service centers located in other states. Schumer said that both the lost jobs and the potential reductions in service convenience for local taxpayers and businesses argue for keeping the jobs where they are.
"I understand that the IRS feels it needs to make cuts, but deciding to eliminate the positions in New York City hits us when we're still trying to build up the economy here. As I tell CEOs and others looking to locate businesses, we've got a worldclass workforce in New York, and there's a reason we are the world's capital of commerce" said Schumer, a member of the Senate Banking Committee.
Yesterday, representatives of the IRS's met with Schumer's staff and asked him to oppose the reductioninforce (RIF) proposal that would consolidate case processing and insolvency operations. Under Phase II of the plan, operations would be transferred from the current 92 locations nationwide, including New York City and Long Island to service centers in Ohio, Utah, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. Specifically, the IRS proposed transferring 77 case processors and 11 insolvency caseworkers in Manhattan, 38 case processors and 7 insolvency caseworkers in Brooklyn, and 1 case processor in Holtsville. It had been originally stated that no jobs would be lost under the reorganization.
Schumer said that cutting these jobs would be bad for both the affected employees and local taxpayers seeking access to the IRS. "I am concerned that if these IRS functions are moved out of state, taxpayers in the area will receive slower, lower quality service. I would implore you to reconsider this proposal," Schumer wrote today in a letter to Commissioner Everson.
In addition to Holtsville, Manhattan, and Brooklyn, offices in Buffalo and Albany could suffer cuts if the proposal is enacted.
For a copy of Schumer's letter to Commissioner Everson please click here.
