By Congressman Erik Paulsen

Want to hear about the latest tax proposal from President Obama?  It seems the Obama administration's idea of tax reform is to get the government into the business of preparing tax returns.   The Obama Administration has embraced the idea of the "Simple Return" - where the IRS prepares your tax returns and sends you the tax bill.

Allowing the IRS to do your tax return is like asking the fox to guard the hen house.  This proposal would require a massive expansion of the IRS.  The IRS would face a conflict of interest between collecting the most taxpayer dollars possible and fairly filling out tax returns.  Currently, the burden to challenge a tax return rests on the IRS.  This proposal would place the burden on the taxpayer to challenge the IRS if they disagree with the IRS' prepared return.

The only thing simple about the "Simple Return" is the way it simply fleeces taxpayers.  That's why I am cosponsoring H.R. 2528 which would prohibit the IRS from getting into the business of preparing tax returns.  We cannot allow the IRS from further intruding into the lives of regular citizens.