2023 MSATA Conference Shines Bright Path Forward for Tax Administration

Wisconsin hosts event filled with plenty of positive energy and education

Darryl Mobley, CEO, BeautyOfTheNile.com and Catapult Leaders Exec. Search

The 2023 Midwestern States Association of Tax Administrators Conference, held this week in Madison, Wisconsin, kicked off on a rain-soaked Monday morning. Fortunately, spirits were unfazed by the murky view seen from the giant Monona Terrance windows that on a clear day showcase Lake Monona in all its grandeur.

Attendees gathered to share and connect on a trove of important and timely topics of interest to tax administrators. All questions asked and answered contributed to advancing and elevating operations within every one of the 13 MSATA member tax agencies.  

The nearly 300 in attendance enjoyed commissioner panels, general session discussions, and more than two dozen breakout sessions centered on increasing efficiency, streamlining processes, and implementing innovative practices to help agencies best serve the people and businesses that drive the Midwest and beyond.  

Day two closed with a get-together in the Wisconsin Capitol building. Attendees continued their conversations as they connected with old friends and new under the building’s breathtaking rotunda.  

Day three wrapped under now sunny skies as everyone said their goodbyes and prepared to return home. For all yet to depart, we bid you safe travels home. See you again at MSATA 2024!  

"Jim has decades of experience in banking and financial services,” said Gov. Pillen. “That, combined with his public service, makes Jim a great pick to lead the agency.”

“The opportunity to serve Nebraskans in this role is humbling and an honor,” said Kamm. “I am thrilled to bring my combined knowledge and service in both public and private industry to Nebraska’s tax code.” 

Prior to his role at UNO, Kamm held leadership roles at First Westroads Bank, TierOne, and First National Bank of Omaha. Kamm received his bachelor’s degree at the University of Nebraska – Lincoln in finance and a master’s degree in business administration at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. 

In announcing his appointment of Kamm, Gov. Pillen also expressed his gratitude to Deputy Tax Commissioner Glen White for serving in the interim role as tax commissioner since Dec. 2022. 

Linehan Shares Oklahoma Tax Commission's Progress, Path Forward

Executive director calls work in government one of most rewarding experiences of his career

Oklahoma Tax Commission Executive Director Doug Linehan

Efficiency can seem like a foreign concept to some folks when discussing government operations. 

It was a subject that Oklahoma Tax Commission Executive Director Doug Linehan focused on during a presentation for the Rotary Club of Ardmore during a recent meeting at Southern Tech. Linehan has been in the job for 18 months following a career spent in corporations, and it has been a learning experience that has held a fair share of surprises. 

Linehan is a graduate of Oklahoma State University who worked for Deloitte before taking a job with ConAgra Foods in Omaha. He worked in several positions from 1999 to 2017 before opting to leave the company rather than move to Chicago. He picked up a job with Moly-Cop as the chief accounting officer for a year before returning to Oklahoma and working for Paycom from 2019 to 2021 at which point he retired. 

Linehan was taking trips with his wife, playing golf, and living a life of leisure before an opportunity to enter government service presented itself. Describing working in government as a fluke, he has realized it has been one of the most rewarding experiences in his career. 

Linehan recalled telling the three commissioners of the tax commission he wanted to do roadshows. He explained while working in the corporate world, roadshows would take place when the company wanted to talk to investors and garner interest. 

“It only seems natural to tell the taxpayer what we are doing with their money,” Linehan said. 

He added it is up to the taxpayer to decide if the commission is a good steward of tax money. 

Linehan’s message has been one of change in the culture and operations of the tax commission, which has a budget of $100 million and 600 field members. The commission collects and distributes 75 different taxes, approximately $15 billion, according to statutory requirements. 

He recalled performing a 60-day assessment. Findings included there were passionate employees but a lack of accountability. Leaders were also not historically accountable for people development. There was also a lack of standardization and documentation such as personnel reviews. There was also an issue with compensation as those exceeding expectations were not rewarded. Linehan said he is a believer in pay for performance. 

“We spread compensation dollars like peanut butter,” he said. “We conditioned everybody to think, no matter how well I perform or had bad I perform, I should always get the exact same thing as my neighbor. 

“Well, no you shouldn’t. That’s not fair.” 

The end result is over time, the talented employees will simply leave or work toward the average. 

The review process that did exist had three different results. There were people who met expectations, those who exceeded expectations or fell short of them. When people met expectations, the supervisor was not required to write anything on the review. As a result, most people were marked as having met expectations. 

“Do you want our motto to be, ‘If you have a pulse, come to the tax commission,’” Linehan asked. 

The bar was raised on buy-in from directors working under a budget to personnel reviews and valuing employees.  

Linehan developed 11 initiatives that are in place that range from a recruiting roadmap and leadership expectation clarity and collections and ad valorem operating systems.

The impact of the reforms appears to be bearing fruit. The state conducts an engagement survey in which the commission did well, starting with an employee response rate of 87%. The state average is 50%. The survey indicated the commission received 16 favorable results, one unfavorable and three with no prior year comparison. In comparison to other state agencies, the commission had 18 favorable categories, one equal, and one unfavorable. 

There is also feedback from staff. Linehan shared with the club about a recent interaction with two employees who enjoyed the shift in culture at OTC. 

“I just want to tell you this,” he said. “I promise you, I am not making this up. They said, indepently, ‘Historically, if someone asked me what I did, I would tell them I work for the state. I would never tell them I work for the tax commission.’ And they said, ‘Now, I am telling them, I work for the tax commission.’ 

“Because if I can win them. If we can win them, we are going to win you all. Is this going to take time? Yes. We are in our infancy to truly transform the tax commission. But we are going to get there. I promise you. We are going to be become more efficient and more effective.” 

The net result will be better interactions with the agency, particularly when it comes to service. Linehan said taxpayers will have a positive experience rather than frustration on having to wait three hours and no one pick up the phone. 

“Historically, if we were a company, we would have gone bankrupt,” he said. “We have to treat you all as customers. Not as if, ‘well they have to come to me. I am the only show in town.’ I think that is what some agencies default to. We need to default to each and every customer is important to us.” 

This article was written by Michael Pineda and was originally published in the Daily Ardmoreite.

Security Summit Reminder: IRS Reminds Tax Pros to Plan, Protect, Defend Against Identity Theft

Special summer series concludes with important reminders

The IRS and Security Summit partners urge tax pros to maintain robust security measures and take important steps to protect themselves and their taxpayer clients against identity theft.   

Tax-related identity theft scams continue targeting tax professionals with a regular bombardment of scams and schemes that seek to gain access to sensitive taxpayer information.  

In this conclusion of the special five-part "Protect Your Client; Protect Yourself" series, the IRS and Summit partners urge tax professionals to take critical steps to protect their information, including taking extra care with how they handle data and security at their business and at home. 

A key part of fraud defenses involves awareness among tax professionals and the taxpaying public. The Security Summit partners continue to remind tax professionals about the importance of setting up a Written Information Security Plan or WISP. The 28-page, easy-to-understand document was developed by and for tax and industry professionals to keep customer and business information safe and secure. The special template is designed to help tax professionals, especially smaller practices, make data security planning easier. Special sessions on the WISP have had standing room only audiences at the Tax Forum sessions so far this summer, with more than 300 attending last week’s session in Washington D.C. 

Important reminders for tax pros and taxpayers to reduce identity theft risk:  

In addition, because many continue working from home either full- or part-time, the IRS and Security Summit partners also urge: 

Tennessee DOR Has Some Back-To-School Throwback Fun

Social media post features adorable grade school pics of Commissioner Gerregano, Communications Director Cortesi

Director of Economic Research and Tax Policy

Federation of Tax Administrators

Open until September 15, 2023

Director of Excise and Miscellaneous Tax Programs

Federation of Tax Administrators

Open until September 15, 2023

Executive Director – Chief Economist

Washington State

FTA has announced a number of dates for its 2023 conferences and symposia.  Be sure to mark your calendars!  Registration information is available for many of the conferences.  Please visit the FTA website for the full calendar.

Revenue Estimation and Tax Research Conference
September 30–October 4
Salt Lake City, UT

Compliance Conference
December 3–6
Tucson, AZ

Tobacco August Uniformity
August 18 and 19
Tucson, AZ

Tobacco Tax Annual Meeting
August 20–23
Tucson, AZ

Motor Fuel September Uniformity
September 15 and 16
Orlando, FL

Motor Fuel Annual Meeting
September 17–20
Orlando, FL

NESTOA Annual Meeting
September 10–13
Wilmington, DE

WSATA Annual Meeting
October 8–11
Reno, NV