By Charles Boothe, Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., is defending money for the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) in the inflation Reduction Act, saying new agents hired will not target anyone making $400,000 or less a year.
The act earmarks $80 billion spread out over 10 years to beef up the number of tax agents, hire other employees and to update technology to provide better customer service.
With more tax agents on board, the act says, tax laws can be enforced against the wealthy and corporations that do not pay the taxes they owe. The income from that increased enforcement will, the act says, help pay for the other programs included.
Republicans have blasted the act in general, and money for the IRS in particular, asserting it will mean more people who make less than $400,000 as well as small businesses will be audited more with the new agents. They also say 87,000 new agents will be hired, some alleging they all will carry guns…