Tax Administration - IRS Budget Request for Fiscal Year 1993: T-Ggd-92-34 (Paperback)

GAO discussed the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) budget request for fiscal year (FY) 1993. GAO noted that: (1) IRS requested 115,798 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff years, a 414 FTE reduction from its FY 1992 authorized staffing level; (2) IRS requested $7.2 billion for FY 1993, a $562-million increase over its authorized FY 1992 funding level; (3) planned budget increases involve work force maintenance and support, Tax System Modernization (TSM) Program activities, and computer system maintenance and upgrades; (4) planned budget decreases involve anticipated productivity savings from new or enhanced computer systems, FY 1992 costs that it does not expect to recur in FY 1993, and various program reductions; (5) IRS has projected a lack of growth in enforcement staffing, but its accounts receivables inventory is growing and there are other negative collection trends; and (6) IRS has based some of its anticipated productivity savings on unrealistic assumptions. GAO also noted that: (1) IRS is making attempts to better coordinate its TSM computer systems projects with its operational functions; (2) IRS could take a bolder approach in assessing opportunities TSM presents for improving its operations, through elimination of unproductive work and rework, reorganization of its functions and field structure, and possible consolidation of its organizational structure; and (3) IRS is monitoring the adequacy of its proposed resources for taxpayer telephone services, tax fraud and financial investigations, and its investigation of tax-exempt organizations.