IRS Employee Killed in Texas Identified
The Internal Revenue Service employee killed when a disgruntled engineer flew a plane into an agency building in Austin, Texas last week. Vernon Hunter, a Vietnam veteran, and a father of six children, worked for the IRS for 27 years, rising to a managerial position, and his wife, Valerie, works for the agency as well. There will be a lot of time to debate whether this was an act of terrorism or a simple crime, whether Joe Stack was simply a deranged individual or a representative of a larger anti-government movement. But for now it seems appropriate to simply send condolences to Hunter's family. Office of Personnel Management Director has highlighted the number of civilian federal employees who have died in the line of duty in recent speeches. It's sad to add Hunter to their number.
COMMENTS
Post a Comment
By using this Service you agree not to post material that is obscene, harassing, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable. Although GovExec does not monitor comments posted to this site (and has no obligation to), it reserves the right to delete, edit, or move any material that it deems to be in violation of this rule.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Government Executive Editor in Chief Tom Shoop, along with other editors and staff correspondents, take a fresh look at news affecting the management and operations of the federal bureaucracy.
The IRS employees don't make the rules. Congress is the governing body that makes the rules. IRS and other frederal employees are doing a job just like people in the private sector. Would you fly your plane into your trash collector's office because you don't like your trash man? Federal employees are just like everyone else; they are working for a living. Get a grip!
Clancy Posted Monday, February 22, 2010 9:23 AMI agree that the IRS folks don't make the rules but how they are inforced and how they treat the taxpaer is all local. Lets see barak appoints a number of folks to his cabinet that haven't paid taxes but werre never under investigation. we have congressman given passes by the IRS when it comes to taxes.
dan ketter Posted Monday, February 22, 2010 1:52 PMThe IRS should take this as a wake up call in their dealings with the taxpayers and who they decided to give a pass to
I am wondering why I, as a veteran not from a wartime era, does not receive any type of points. I entered to protect my country and took an oath to do so, yet just because there was no war when I served, but one could have broke out at anytime of my enlistment, I do not receive any recognition?
Sincerely,
Trent
Trent Thom Posted Tuesday, February 23, 2010 9:35 AMSpecifically in response to Mr. Ketter's comments: IRS employees do not have discretion as to who they will give a "pass" to. In my experieence, they treat everyone with courtesy. That doesn't mean that they have to accept half baked arguments as to why the tax code is unfair or why the person is exempt from payment of taxes. Their job is to enforce the law Congress has made the law of the land. Whether Cabinet nominees are found, when their records are put under a microscope, to have stretched the law is irrelevant. There are insufficent numbers of IRS agents and employees to audit everyone in the country. I note that each of those nominees corrected the problem when it was brought to his attention (including the ones who withdrew their nominations); the same was true in past years under other administrations. Note also that an IRS employee is subject to being fired (unlike other civil service employees or citizens) for anything less than perfect adherence to the Tax Code with regard to his or her own taxes. In 1998, Congress imposed new rules and procedures upon the IRS, requiring addtional care in the performance of their duties by IRS employees. Periodically the Treasury Inspector General audits the IRS and its employees for compliance with the new laws and regulations -- and with only rare inspections finds total adherence to those laws and regulations. If you think this is such an easy job, Mr. Ketter, hiring is ongoing at the moment--come on over!
IRS EMPLOYEE Posted Wednesday, February 24, 2010 1:23 PMAs a Federal Employee I only enforce the Policies established by Congress to the best of my abilities. With 30 years of service to date, we all have a full plate of work, all the time. Talk about job security. But as we serve the public, it is our responsibility to treat them all with courtesy and respect. I truly believe that we accomplish this 95% of the time. It is our responsibility to challenge the 5% of the time that we witness a co-worker (or ourselves)that we don't, for whatever reason. After all, the reflection of our Agency, the Federal Government, and our Country is on all of us.
C. Walters Posted Thursday, February 25, 2010 11:28 AM