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I learned this weekend that local Maine offices of the federal IRS have lost staff with decades of experience, and that taxpayers seeking face-to-face help from IRS local staff may be out of luck.
At a Bangor meeting of about 200 Mainers on Saturday that the BDN unfortunately didn’t cover, a speaker lamented the layoffs and early retirements within local IRS offices in the state.
Many other federal local offices will continue to be in disarray for many years, after just the first four months of President Donald Trump’s and Elon Musk’s bloodletting of civil servants. Even if there are subsequent new staff, that loss of institutional knowledge and experience will be crippling. That’s likely part of Trump’s and Musk’s goal, however.
Sunday’s New York Times analyzed additional financial burdens on consumers because of DOGE. These include repeal of home appliance efficiency standards (costing us more in electricity and water charges), re-instituting bank penalties, and increased health insurance fees.
In coming months and years, if you can’t get the help you paid for with your taxes, and your utility and bank and insurance fees go up, think of DOGE, Musk, and Trump.
William A. Wood
Bangor
