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Canada - Taxation: B.C. Revenue minister asks private sector for proposals to co	sand-@wwdb.org
	Jul 07, 2003 12:38 PDT

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B.C. Revenue minister asks private sector for proposals to
collect unpaid taxes and billsThat's what they get paid the
"big bucks" for.
Let us off-load tax & debt collection to the private sector.

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Millar
Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 12:45 PM

--
Private communication. Intended for addressees only if you
have received this communication in error or without
permission, delete this communication immediately. Copyright
Michael Millar, natural person © 2003.
All rights reserved. For information and educational
purposes only, including any attachments.
--
http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id=845f6a26-a6db-41e
6-9f6f-e9738a7c5032

B.C. reviews bill collection

Revenue minister asks private sector for proposals to
collect unpaid taxes and bills
Greg Mercer
Vancouver Sun
Saturday, June 28, 2003

The provincial government announced late Friday it's looking
to farm out part of its revenue management services as a way
to start collecting on nearly $730 million in unpaid bills
and back-taxes.

The government issued a request for proposals from the
private sector to "help consolidate revenue management
functions under the Ministry of Provincial Revenue in a way
that will improve public service and deliver better value
for taxpayers," according to a statement.

Bill Barishoff, minister of Provincial Revenue, left the
door open for further privatization of the ministry's duties
as the consolidated manager of revenue for government.

"There's no doubt in my mind, if it can be done more
efficiently outside government, then we'll do it," he said.
"If we find out we can do it better ourselves, it'll stay in
house. The efficiencies will dictate what happens"

The ministry was created by the Liberals in 2001 to start
consolidating revenue collection that was spread throughout
40 different government departments and agencies. It manages
about $15 billion a year in revenue from all sources of
government income such as student loans payments, court
fines, property, industry and income taxes and now medical
service premiums.

One of the biggest concerns facing the revenue ministry is
finding a better way to track down and collect on $730
million in unpaid taxes and fines.

The ministry has about 100 auditors who are charged with
tracking down unpaid taxes, but it already farms out some of
its debt collection responsibilities to private companies,
who take a commission for tracking down the money.

"If we find there's areas outside government that we can do
it more efficiently, then there would be, but it would be
minimal, a loss of jobs," Barishoff said. "The bills would
still show up from the Ministry of Provincial Revenue, but
it could be group of different collection agencies doing the
work for us."

It's not clear what the role will be for the 950-employee
department currently charged with revenue collection and tax
management if more of its responsibilities are contracted
out to private companies in the future.

"What we're outsourcing right now is the IT side of it, to
make sure they're the ones that can put the whole program
together. Once we have that in place, we can decide whether
it's best to continue with outsourcing or whether it's best
to keep the rest of it in house," Barishoff said.

Barishoff said the government's tax collection system is
completely separate from the ministry's revenue management
system and was working efficiently, but wouldn't rule out
that it too may be eventually handed over to a private
company.

"The whole system of tax collection is very efficient. It's
something we might want to integrate later with the revenue
management process, but at this point in time, it's a system
that's new and works well," he said.

gmer-@png.canwest.com

© Copyright 2003 Vancouver Sun

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<TITLE>B.C. Revenue minister asks private sector for proposals to collect unpaid taxes and bills</TITLE>

<META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1170" name=GENERATOR></HEAD>
<BODY>
<DIV>That's
what they get paid the "big bucks" for.</DIV>
<DIV>Let us
off-load tax & debt collection to the private sector.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left>-----Original Message----- From: Michael Millar
 Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2003 12:45 PM </DIV>--
 Private communication.
Intended for addressees only if you have received this communication in error or
without permission, delete this communication immediately. Copyright Michael
Millar, natural person © 2003. All rights reserved. For information and
educational purposes only, including any attachments.
 --
 http://www.canada.com/search/story.aspx?id=845f6a26-a6db-41e6-9f6f-e9738a7c5032 
<H2>B.C. reviews bill collection </H2>Revenue minister asks
private sector for proposals to collect unpaid taxes and bills Greg
Mercer Vancouver Sun Saturday, June 28, 2003 The provincial
government announced late Friday it's looking to farm out part of its revenue
management services as a way to start collecting on nearly $730 million in
unpaid bills and back-taxes. The government issued a request for
proposals from the private sector to "help consolidate revenue management
functions under the Ministry of Provincial Revenue in a way that will improve
public service and deliver better value for taxpayers," according to a
statement. Bill Barishoff, minister of Provincial Revenue, left the door
open for further privatization of the ministry's duties as the consolidated
manager of revenue for government. "There's no doubt in my mind, if it
can be done more efficiently outside government, then we'll do it," he said. "If
we find out we can do it better ourselves, it'll stay in house. The efficiencies
will dictate what happens" The ministry was created by the Liberals in
2001 to start consolidating revenue collection that was spread throughout 40
different government departments and agencies. It manages about $15 billion a
year in revenue from all sources of government income such as student loans
payments, court fines, property, industry and income taxes and now medical
service premiums. One of the biggest concerns facing the revenue
ministry is finding a better way to track down and collect on $730 million in
unpaid taxes and fines. The ministry has about 100 auditors who are
charged with tracking down unpaid taxes, but it already farms out some of its
debt collection responsibilities to private companies, who take a commission for
tracking down the money. "If we find there's areas outside government
that we can do it more efficiently, then there would be, but it would be
minimal, a loss of jobs," Barishoff said. "The bills would still show up from
the Ministry of Provincial Revenue, but it could be group of different
collection agencies doing the work for us." It's not clear what the role
will be for the 950-employee department currently charged with revenue
collection and tax management if more of its responsibilities are contracted out
to private companies in the future. "What we're outsourcing right now is
the IT side of it, to make sure they're the ones that can put the whole program
together. Once we have that in place, we can decide whether it's best to
continue with outsourcing or whether it's best to keep the rest of it in house,"
Barishoff said. Barishoff said the government's tax collection system is
completely separate from the ministry's revenue management system and was
working efficiently, but wouldn't rule out that it too may be eventually handed
over to a private company. "The whole system of tax collection is very
efficient. It's something we might want to integrate later with the revenue
management process, but at this point in time, it's a system that's new and
works well," he said. gmer-@png.canwest.com © Copyright 2003 Vancouver Sun </BODY></HTML>

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