IRS execs rack up big travel bills

GOP USA/USA Today ^ | 7/24/2013 | USA Today Staff

[IbJensen]

Two high-ranking IRS employees may have traveled more days than they worked over the past two years, according to a Treasury inspector's report released Tuesday.

And at least 15 executives traveled to another office -- typically Washington -- for more than half of their workdays, raising questions about whether they should have been assigned to IRS headquarters in the first place, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration said.

The inspectors are looking into whether the tax agency may have itself evaded taxes by failing to disclose the benefit of the travel on withholding statements for those employees. Under IRS regulations, travel expenses are taxable if the employee works at a site for more than a year.

The review is the latest in a string of reports critical of management failures at the tax agency, including the processing of tax-exempt applications for political groups and excessive conference spending.

The inspector general said the agency's overall travel does not appear to be excessive. The 373 most senior executives spent $4.7 million on travel in fiscal year 2012, down slightly from the previous year. Most spent less than $10,000 on travel during the year. The report does not allege that executives claimed reimbursements above the government rates or took improper perks like suite upgrades.

A number of executives took repeated trips to the same cities. In many cases, the IRS recruited managers for jobs at the Washington headquarters but didn't require them to move to D.C., Deputy Inspector General David Holmgren said.

-snip-

One executive -- identified only as "Executive D" -- spent 413 days on the road in 2011 and 2012, spending $283,491 on travel, according to the report. Almost all of that travel was to Washington.

-snip-

[IbJensen]

If someone takes a job based in Washington D.C. but “isn’t in the position to relocate,” the cost of travel should be covered by the employee, not the IRS. Why should taxpayers be on the hook for an employee’s poor decision to live far, far away from their work site? This is yet another example of the IRS playing fast and loose with the tax dollars confiscated from us.

[driftdiver]

Its difficult to get people to move to DC. Its very expensive there because of the massive spending has created a housing shortage.

IMO the key is to shrink govt so they don’t need to travel.

[Cowgirl of Justice]

Whatever happened to teleconferencing or working from home?

[driftdiver]

The govt does a lot of that, except when the meeting is in hawaii.

Question, if we criticize the IRS will we lose points for healthcare? Make a complaint and lose your quota for an MRI. Embarrass an official and lose access to pain meds or cancer drugs?

[pepsionice]

I moved to DC (Arlington actually) in 2010 to take a gov’t job. What I discovered was that a studio apartment ran $1050 a month (heat and electricity included). VA vehicle taxes are excessive....everyone wants you to pay for parking fees...and a simple steak dinner is $22. This summer, with furlough and the whole job as a joke, I finally ‘retired’. I probably wanted to work longer in life, but the cost of a DC job makes the goal ridiculous.

I would say that eighty percent of all jobs in DC could be relocated to cheaper locations. The gov’t is likely wasting over $5 billion a year on operations that it demands to exist and must be out of DC.

[sportutegrl]

I would say that eighty percent of all jobs in DC could be relocated to cheaper locations. eliminated.

[yoe]

"If someone takes a job based in Washington D.C. but “isn’t in the position to relocate,” the cost of travel should be covered by the employee..."

Interesting, should Nancy Pelosi have relocated for her tenure in office saving the tax payer millions in travel etc.? Should the Obama's travel to Hawaii each year calling it their home? Seems the tax payer is taking it on the chin for our elected to travel to their homes not in Washington, D.C.

[silverleaf]

sounds like these people took the jobs intending to milk daily “per diem” as part of the compensation

fraud by other means and the govt is such a willing cow to be milked

[Michael.SF.]

One executive spent 413 days on the road in 2011 and 2012, spending $283,491 on travel

That amounts to almost $700 per day. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[IbJensen]

We have much to thank Jimmy Carter for. He was the idiot who discovered the three martini lunch. We know there never was such a thing, but one of his aides came up with the bright idea to allow only 50% of a business lunch or dinner to be deducted.

This IRS belongs to Braaack. They did his dirty work for him and they deserve, along with him, to swing for it!

[AEMILIUS PAULUS]

The pictures of all such employees should be required to be published as well as the photos of those misusing credit cards, receiving “bonuses” and other frauds. I suspect some very interesting patterns would develop.

[Thank You Rush]

“”Under IRS regulations, travel expenses are taxable if the employee works at a site for more than a year.””

Change the regulations! These people are commuters and aren’t at the site for more than a year hence avoid being liable for taxes on the travel paid by the taxpayer. Make them liable! What other employer pays their employees travel expenses to commute to and from work? In this case, it’s OUR money and I object!!

[rigelkentaurus]

anything short of

1. repayment of all “travel costs” with interest
2. termination with cause for theft
3. forfeit all pension rights

means the IRS is not serious, and we know they are just thieves and criminals.