The state income tax collector has set up a volunteer-review panel to aid the agency in collecting taxpayer feedback in simplifying some of its tax documents and forms as well as its online communications with customers.
The first meeting of the External Editorial Review Board is set for Wednesday at state Department of Revenue Services headquarters in Hartford.
The volunteer members of the inaugural External Editorial Review Board represent a broad cross-section of the DRS target audience including tax professionals, educators, small business owners, and retirees, an agency statement said. The board will review selected documents to provide suggestions for making them easier to understand. A team of DRS employees will coordinate the process.
“Our goal is straight talk for taxpayers,” said state Revenue Services Comissioner Kevin Sullivan. “The more obscure and complex we are in communicating with taxpayers, the harder it is for taxpayers to understand what they need to do.”
Panelists are: economist Neville Doherty; teachers Lisa Anderson, Matt Bracksieck and Michael J. Fiorello; computer programmer Thomas Cunningham; retired actuary Albert Carbaugh; tax professionals Cheryl D. Ladyzhets, Heidi Parchman, Kristin A. Roberts and William L. Van Hall; CPAs Nancy Boland, Richard S. Merrick and Tony Switajewski; engineers Richard Guttman and James Rancourt; enrolled agent Marian Sgroi Varano; attorney Steven A. Clark; tax attorneys Ryan Leichsenring and Shannon Smith Retzke;and state Senior Committee Administrator Mary Finnegan.
