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IRS Math: $600 Million = $4 Billion

A few years back, we argued that Americans should want more IRS audits, not fewer. “Still, unless you are personally cheating by one-fifth or more, you should be mad at the I.R.S. — not because it’s too vigilant, but because it’s not nearly vigilant enough,” we wrote. “Why should you pay your fair share when the agency lets a few hundred billion dollars of other people’s money go uncollected every year?” Now, the IRS may be doing even fewer audits, thanks to political efforts to cut the agency’s budget. In fact, “IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman told the committee Tuesday that the $600 million cut in this year’s budget would result in the IRS collecting $4 billion less through tax enforcement programs.” On the other hand, it will make tax cheating a bit more attractive. (HT: Meir Lindenbaum)


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