Department of Revenue

Director:  Mark R. Schuling

Website:  http://www.state.ia.us/tax/index.html

Charter Agency status has strengthened the Iowa Department of Revenue’s capability to provide and improve services to its customers – taxpayers, tax professionals, local governments and state agencies.  Charter Agency status also allows greater flexibility in prioritizing projects and utilizing resources. Iowa is first in the nation in e-filing of individual income tax returns. Our customers benefit by receiving their refunds faster, while the department realizes a reduction in costly paper processing and storage.

Fewer steps are required to create new positions and continue the services customers require. In FY05, the department created the eFile Services Unit to respond to businesses that file their returns electronically through eFile & Pay. This new team of six full-time permanent employees and four full-time temporary employees became fully operational prior to the unveiling of the eFile & Pay system.

More than 41 percent of department employees were eligible to participate in a recent early-out program, propelling succession planning to the forefront of department concerns.  Charter Agency status allows the department to employ replacements and overlap positions for cross-training, resulting in seamless customer service. This was particularly beneficial in the Property Tax Division, where 40 percent of appraisers were indicating likely retirement in FY06.
 

An intern was hired from the Masters of Public Administration program at Iowa State University to gather information on property tax systems in other Midwestern states and analyze the costs of providing different local government services in Iowa. Mutually beneficial projects such as this can be expedited by the department as a Charter Agency.

Financing for additional positions is available through the Charter Agency Grant Fund. These employees generate an additional $2.75 million for the State of Iowa, which means more dollars for the citizens of Iowa in the form of government services. Because it is a Charter Agency, the department retains 50 percent of unspent yearend General Fund appropriations, rather than returning 100 percent. In addition, the department is not subjected to across-the-board cuts, which occurred in fiscal year 2004. That year almost $600,000 – the equivalent of 12 employees and the services they provide – was retained.

For more information:

Cindy Morton

515-281-4908

Cindy.Morton@idrf.state.ia.us