Florida CFO Patronis Demands Answers from IRS On Exposing Taxpayer Info: ‘Compromising Taxpayer Information is Unacceptable’

TALLAHASSEE (FLV) – Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis sent a letter to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) after reports that the agency exposed confidential information of 120,000 taxpayers online.

The IRS reportedly published the confidential information on its website before removing the data, leading Patronis to express concern about the impact it would have on Floridians. The information came from a business tax return document.

“As the State’s Chief Financial Officer, I am charged with protecting Florida taxpayers from fraud, waste, and abuse, and your actions have no doubt made certain Florida taxpayers vulnerable to identify theft,” Patronis said.

His letter requested the IRS answer the following questions:

1. How many Florida taxpayers were affected?
2. Have you contacted each and every individual and organization about their compromised information?
3. How long had personal information been exposed before the IRS took action?
4. Were you aware of this “inadvertent disclosure” as Congress was debating the Inflation Reduction Act?
5. What steps is the IRS taking to safeguard Floridians who were made vulnerable by your action (i.e., will you be providing credit monitoring services cost-free to Floridians)?

Patronis also interjected is concern about the IRS growing by 87,000 new personnel through funding in the Inflation Reduction Act.

“The unchecked growth of the IRS means you will be processing even more personal information, and with compromised information like this, I am concerned that this is a sign of more of incompetence to come,” he said.