University of Texas Withholds Tax Docs, While Texas A&M Makes them Public

The University of Texas System, comprised of 15 academic and health campuses, is withholding its annual tax return filings pending a ruling of the Texas attorney general's office and an IRS audit of the system. In contrast, the Texas A&M University System says its tax return is a public record under state law, despite also being the focus of an IRS audit.

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Fla. legislator introduces budget openness act

Florida Rep. Dorothy Hukill says her proposed "Track Your Taxes -- Florida Budget Openness Act" would be "the strongest of its kind in the nation."

State Representative Dorothy L. Hukill (R-Port Orange) filed legislation to open up government spending to all Floridians. The “Track Your Taxes – Florida Budget Openness Act” will allow citizens to use the Internet to track their state and local tax dollars. This far-reaching legislation will be the strongest of its kind in the nation and reflects Florida’s continued commitment to open government.

The bill, House Bill 971, provides access to every dollar raised and spent by state and local governments through a single searchable website, accessible on www.MyFlorida.com. The website would provide information on the date, source, and purpose of each expenditure and revenue, and would allow citizens to view online any government contract in which taxpayer dollars are spent.

“In these tough economic times, it’s more important than ever for government to be open and accessible to the taxpayers. People need to know that their hard-earned money is being spent wisely,” Hukill said. “By using the Internet to shine a light on government spending, we can ensure that government always remains accountable to the citizens it represents.”

The bill is being sponsored in the Senate by Senator Ronda Storms (R-Valrico).

Extravagant banker neglected to pay his own taxes

From the AP:

Public records show disgraced financier R. Allen Stanford owes hundreds of millions of dollars in federal taxes.

The records show four federal tax liens against Stanford totaling more than $212 million. The liens are from 2007 and 2008.

Federal officials charge Stanford with bilking investors out of billions of dollars by claiming unrealistic returns. His bank is closed following a raid Tuesday.

More here.

FOI at work: Johnny Depp's entourage partially funded by Wis. taxpayers

An FOI request for a tally of the expenses that the filmmakers of "Public Enemies" submitted for state tax breaks uncovered the need for improvements in the tax credit law. Taxpayers covered percentages of the cost for costume cleaning, stuntmen's living expenses, Johnny Depp's entourage of chauffeurs and hair stylists, among other expenses. The Commerce Department did prevent filmmakers from claiming the wrap party, the AP reported; however, they were allowed to submit expenses and salaries paid outside of Wisconsin. The film cost the state more in tax credits than it generated in economic activity.

Wisconsin taxpayers contributed $450,000 toward Hollywood director Michael Mann's salary when he came to the state last year to film the big-budget Johnny Depp movie "Public Enemies."

Records obtained by The Associated Press show the state's film tax credits not only covered a quarter of Mann's $1.8 million salary, they paid for a portion of his assistants' salaries, entertainment, meals and stuntmen's living expenses.

The state's tax credits even covered about $100,000 of the cost of Depp's entourage of chauffeurs, hair stylists and assistants, said Zach Brandon, executive assistant at the Wisconsin Commerce Department.

More here.

Bill calls for Iowa Web site that tracks tax money

President Obama's call for government transparency has trickled down to Iowa, where a bill was introduced to create a Web site containing easy-to-navigate data on taxpayer dollars. Republican supporters are optimistic about the site, which would be modeled after similar endeavors in other states. However, one Democratic senator has already raised concerns that funding a $40,000 Web site will be difficult in the face of a tight state budget.

The state of Iowa would have to launch a searchable Web site available to the public to catalog how tax dollars are spent under a bill proposed Wednesday in the Iowa Legislature.

Republican supporters in both houses of the Legislature said during a news conference at the Statehouse that such a Web site would allow for greater transparency in state government by turning all of Iowa’s citizens into budget watchdogs.

They likened keeping track of taxpayer dollars in Iowa to searching through a maze, but they said the proposed Web site would streamline the process.

More here.

White House employees, several others yet to pay 2007 income taxes

WTOP Radio in Washington, D.C., used a Freedom of Information Act to uncover that more than 170,000 federal employees have not paid their 2007 federal income taxes.

Federal agency with the most delinquent employees? The U.S. Postal Service, but it's also the largest agency.

Agency with the best compliance rate? The Federal Housing Finance Board.

From the U.S. Postal Service to the Executive Office of the President, thousands of federal workers have not paid their 2007 federal income taxes.

The Internal Revenue Service is trying to collect billions of dollars in unpaid taxes from nearly half a million federal employees. According to IRS records, 171,549 current federal workers did not voluntarily pay their federal income taxes in 2007. The same is true for 37,752 active duty military and nearly 200,000 retired civilian and military personnel.

Documents obtained by WTOP through the Freedom of Information Act show 449,531 federal employees and retirees did not pay their taxes for a total of $3,586,784,725 in taxes owed last year.

More here.

Feds Blame KC for Lost IRS Taxpayer Files...

Federal investigators blame city officials for the loss in 2006 of 26 IRS computer tapes containing taxpayer information.

In a heavily redacted report obtained by The Kansas City Star through a Freedom of Information Act request, the Treasury Department's inspector general for tax administration said the city failed to follow "proper safeguards for protecting federal tax return information."

The tapes were delivered to City Hall in August 2006 to help revenue officials make sure people living or working in Kansas City are paying the 1 percent city earnings tax.

City officials said they realized the tapes were missing in late 2006, touching off the investigation that began on Dec. 19, 2006, and lasted until Nov. 1, 2007. The tapes have never been found.

"The investigation revealed the city did not follow and was not following the proper safeguards for protecting federal tax return information," the inspectors wrote.

The information released to The Star and published in a story Saturday did not elaborate on the city's mistakes. Most of the information in the 42 pages provided to the paper was blacked out, and the agency said it wasn't handing over another 105 pages because that "could impede its law enforcement activities."

More here.