Letters to the Editor Is congresswoman protecting wealth cheats?
Citing “privacy concerns,” Jaime Herrera Beutler stands with big business in opposing provisions pending in Congress that would bolster the enforcement authority of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), producing revenue to pay for climate, child care and educational programs. Taxpayers in the top 5 percent are responsible for more than half of all underreported income; yet only about 6 percent of tax returns reporting income above $1 million are audited, and only 0.7 percent of business returns are audited. Criminal prosecution of tax cheats is rare. Every dollar invested in the IRS for audits produces $200 in new revenue. These provisions are a win-win for law-abiding taxpayers and our nation as a whole. Herrera Beutler’s opposition is misplaced.
Ellen Sward,
Vancouver
