In this week’s Tax Policy Podcast, Jack Trachtenberg, New York state’s first Taxpayer Rights Advocate discusses the role of his office and some recommendations after his first year on the job. The Taxpayer Rights Advocate acts as an ombudsman between the public and the Department of Taxation and Finance in resolving taxpayer disputes. Trachtenberg’s office recently launched an online submission form through which taxpayers may report systemic problems relating to the tax department or tax code. “Sometimes the best source for what we hear in terms of reforms are people on the front lines – it’s your preparers, your accountants, your attorneys and a lot of times, taxpayers themselves,” Trachtenberg says. More on New York. Listen to the full podcast here, or check out all of the Tax Foundation’s Tax Policy Podcasts.
