The Secretary of the Department of Revenue says adding more auditors to collect delinquent taxes may not be the right move.
The state is owed nearly $1 billion in delinquent tax payments, and some lawmakers think adding more auditors could help collect that money. During a hearing at the Capitol Wednesday, Revenue Secretary Roger Ervin said he's unsure if that would actually help get the money though.
Instead of adding staff, Ervin says DOR is trying to consolidate its operations right now and look for other ways to make the agency more efficient. He told lawmakers it would be irresponsible to add staff, when it's unclear what function they would fill right now.
After evaluating the agency, Ervin says they may have a clearer picture of whether more staff would help collect delinquent tax payments or if there's another solution. He says new technology or tax law changes could end up being more effective than adding positions at the agency.