Santo M. Presti Quotes
Fear is the key element for the IRS in achieving its mission. Without fear, the IRS would have a difficult time maintaining our so-called system of ‘voluntary compliance’ .... Given the opportunity, the IRS will take the easy way out and grab whatever it can... the IRS does not really care about you and what your future... may be
There are many who would disagree with Presti’s description, while many others have this as a chief complaint. The agency tends to change from administration to administration as to its policies and collection methods. In the decades since this criticism, the agency has changed a good deal. However, there are great differences between IRS practices in different parts of the country, some of which are better than the others. One of the major problems of the IRS is the conflict between collecting taxes that should have been paid and were not and ruining the business or individual that committed the offense by taking current working capital. Congress has NEVER weighed in on this question preferring to let the Civil Servants take the heat.
Santo M. Presti, IRS Criminal Investigation Agent, IRS In Action, 1983
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
