Penny wise, pound foolish
Unless you’re living off the grid and subsisting on nuts and berries gathered in the deep woods, you’ve experienced the, um, joy of being parked in an endless queue when you call a toll-free number to get assistance with a consumer-related issue.
All you want is to speak to a flesh-and-blood being so you can find out how to replace your malfunctioning remote control, and all you’re getting is an endless loop of elevator music from David Sanborn, Kenny G and Najee.
With tax season creeping upon us and filing due to be a little more complicated for some as a result of the Affordable Care Act, the Internal Revenue Service is warning people that if you call the IRS with a question, you might be waiting … and waiting … and waiting …
And that’s if you’re lucky. According to an Associated Press story that appeared in the Observer-Reporter Jan. 15, IRS officials are projecting that only half of the 100 million people who will probably be calling the agency this year will speak to anyone, no matter how determinedly they wait.
It’s all because Congress decided to slice $346 million out of the IRS budget. Aside from leading to nationwide spikes in blood pressure for flummoxed taxpayers, it means that low-income taxpayers won’t be getting assistance in filling out their returns, tax refunds could be delayed, there will be fewer audits and enforcement will be reduced. All told, it could cost the federal government $2 billion this year, all to save $346 million.
Someone needs to remind Congress about the pitfalls of being penny wise and pound foolish.