[Vision2020] Idaho Tax Commissioners Rebut Allegations

[lfalen]

At the vary least the confidential files should be reviewed by the AG and the Senate Tax Committee.
Roger
-----Original message-----
From: Tom Hansen thansen at moscow.com
Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 05:46:52 -0700
To: vision2020 at moscow.com
Subject: [Vision2020] Idaho Tax Commissioners Rebut Allegations

> Stay tuned, Visionaires. This has the looks of the first chapter in a long 
> saga.
> 
> >From today's (June 26, 2008) Spokesman Review -
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------
> 
> Idaho tax commissioners rebut allegations 
> 
> Panel defends confidential transactions
> Betsy Z. Russell, Staff writer
> June 26, 2008
> 
> BOISE � Idaho's four state tax commissioners have formally disputed a 
> whistle-blower's report that accused them of cutting secret deals to 
> excuse multistate corporations from paying millions in taxes.
> 
> "The Commission, and the individuals involved, reject as completely untrue 
> any allegation that cases are illegally or inappropriately compromised," 
> the commissioners wrote.
> 
> Auditor Stan Howland, who has worked for the Tax Commission for 28 years, 
> three weeks ago sent a 17-page report detailing his claims to state 
> lawmakers, the governor and the Idaho attorney general. Howland contended 
> that the commissioners routinely settle disputed tax cases with 
> corporations, and that confidentiality laws prevent anyone from finding 
> out about it.
>  
> Commissioners Royce Chigbrow, Sam Haws, Coleen Grant and Tom Katsilometes 
> wrote in their response: "What Mr. Howland deplores as unjustifiable 
> secrecy, others regard as laudable confidentiality designed to protect 
> privacy."
> 
> They contended that tax law for multistate corporations is more complex 
> than Howland suggested, and that confidential settlements therefore often 
> are preferable to litigation or published, precedent-setting rulings.
> 
> The commissioners also wrote that they don't involve auditors directly in 
> the process of compromise agreements because doing so would "involve the 
> auditor in judging his own audit. This undermines, and will seem to 
> undermine, basic notions of fair play."
> 
> Howland contended that the commission has made increasing use of 
> confidential settlements in multistate, corporate tax protests for the 
> past 17 years, and that it used such settlements for nearly all 
> multistate, corporate protests in the past year.
> 
> "These special deals are available primarily to those companies that are 
> aware of the commission's willingness to compromise audited tax returns," 
> Howland wrote. "The number of corporations receiving these 'deals' has 
> increased over the years to a point where most large corporations now 
> automatically protest all audits in anticipation of receiving their 'Idaho 
> tax break.' "
> 
> Gov. Butch Otter requested the formal response from the Tax Commission. 
> 
> "We'll be looking at it closely," said his press secretary, Jon Hanian.
> 
> State lawmakers, who also were sent copies of the response Wednesday, have 
> requested a formal attorney general's opinion on whether any laws were 
> broken; authorized a special meeting of the Senate tax committee this 
> summer to review the allegations; and called for possible changes in state 
> laws.
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------
> 
> Seeya at Farmers' Market, Moscow.
> 
> Tom Hansen
> Moscow, Idaho
>  
> "We're a town of about 23,000 with 10,000 college students. The college 
> students are not very active in local elections (thank goodness!)."
> 
> - Dale Courtney (March 28, 2007)
> 
> 
> ---------------------------------------------
> This message was sent by First Step Internet.
>            http://www.fsr.com/
> 
> 
> 
>