The state’s tax commissioner took some heat from lawmakers looking over the budget. Lawmakers say they’re hearing complaints from some tax refund filers who are being required to take an identity quiz.
During questioning before the House Finance Committee, tax commissioner Joe Testa says the state spent $6 million to stop thousands of fake income tax refund requests filed in many states by people who are stealing massive amounts of social security numbers.
“You send in your refund request and it’s your money and you gotta go take a quiz, find out when your son sold a car or whatever? Of course that’s not a good time. We fully recognize that," Testa said. "What would you have us do?”
Testa says $265 million in false filings were identified in Ohio last year alone. But lawmakers say constituents are telling them the questions about tax issues in their distant pasts are too difficult, and the agency reports getting tens of thousand of phone calls as well.