Editor, News-Register:

Today I write to you as a taxpayer, concerned citizen and chapter president of NTEU Chapter 64. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has planned to shut down numerous offices across the country without discussing them with the public, Congress or their own employees.

The Wheeling, West Virginia Field office and Taxpayer Assistance Center is one of these offices. If you live in Northern WV you are aware that oftentimes there isn’t always a direct route to get from point A to point B due to our mountainous terrain. If you live across the river in Ohio you are in rural country — part of which includes the beautiful Ohio Amish Country.

The IRS is getting around a congressionally-mandated process by utilizing rules meant for large metropolitan areas. They are saying that all they are doing is closing offices within commuting areas that will have minimal impact to the employees. Those rules were designed for cities that have multiple offices within small travel distances and large availability of public transportation.

The closure of the Wheeling office is having those employees report to Washington, Pennsylvania. This impacts all of their daily lives through extended commutes, more miles on their vehicles, more fuel spent, more wear and tear.

Add in that there will be impacts to their taxes, new management and a more crowded work environment.

Access to government services is something that we should all as taxpayers have concern over. The closure of this office and its relocation will be a hardship on many people — all for the sake of saving a few dollars. At the very least the IRS should have followed the process Congress told them they needed to follow.

If this concerns you, I encourage you to contact your federal representatives to voice your concerns. Time is of the essence, as this closure is scheduled to occur in October.

West Virginia:

– U.S. Rep. Riley Moore — 1337 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Phone: 202-225-2711;

– Sen. Shelley Moore Capito — 170 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: 202-224-6472;

– Sen. Jim Justice — SH-509 Hart Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: 202-224-3954

Ohio:

– U.S. Rep. Michael Rulli — 421 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515. Phone: (202) 225-5705;

– Sen. Bernie Moreno — SR-284 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: 202-224-2315;

– Sen. Jon Husted — SR-304 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510. Phone: 202-224-3353.

Matt Kirk

Wheeling