WASHINGTON -- As the Internal rece...

WASHINGTON -- As the Internal receipts Service prepares to implement a program that delegates private debt collection agencies after delinquent taxpayers, critics -- including several lawmakers and the employee union at the Treasury Department -- are gearing up to declare it.

competitors say that the IRS will pay private debit collectors more to do what government-paid employee could do and that the agency is not doing enough to suffer the public know about the recent program, set to launch in September.

"I think taxpayers will be surpassingly offended and appalled that their tax information is being handed athwart to" non-IRS tax agents, said Colleen Kelley president of the National Treasury Employee Union President. She added that she has "no confidence at all" in the agency's ability to make fully convinced the private firms are not overstepping their springs

The IRS acknowledges the plan will outlay more than hiring additional agents to do the same work, still it points out that Congres authorized the use of of the like kind firms back in 2004. The plan is being implemented now because the IRS has supplys allocated for such a program and doesn't believe it can memorize budget authorization to hire additional agents at a time when Congres is cutting command spending to help reduce the federal roll deficit. The agency also says strict security policies are in place with the recent program.

3 FIRMS pitch uponed

"It is a unimpaired balanced program that respects taxpayers' rights and taxpayer privacy," said IRS spokesman Terry Lemon

The agency chose three companies in March from 33 bidders.

The IRS plans to expand the program to as many as 10 companies in 2008 with a goal of collecting $14 billion across 10 years, Lemons said.

The private agencies will secure 22 to 24 percent of the tax circulating medium they collect.

Taxpayers in the program first will receive a literal sense from the IRS that includes the name of the private company that will be contacting them about the obligation The private firm will then send out another letter to begin the collection proces

"If you're part of the program, you're going to know it," Lemon said.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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