Conservative El Pasoans question IRS notices of unpaid taxes

This May protests just like the one in St. Louis County, MO, one popped up across country after it was revealed the Internal Revenue Service had targeted certain conservative groups applying for 501 c, or tax exempt status.

Now the frustrations many citizens have with the IRS has been exacerbated and everything is being questioned.

“I don’t want to use; we’re concerned,” said Bob Pena of the El Paso GOP.

One ABC-7 viewer, who became affiliated with the Tea Party over the last few years, gave ABC-7 a letter from the IRS she received in the mail this week, demanding she pay over $600 in additional taxes. Maybe her accountant missed something, she said. But if so, she asked, why didn’t they tell her why she owed? When she called the local office, she said they told her the office didn’t answer phone calls.

ABC-7 went down to 700 E. San Antonio and asked the IRS about the notice. Cameras were not allowed.

Bob Pena said he doubts conservatives will be targeted in El Paso, but the government’s put the seeds of doubt in people.

“You heard these stories but you had never seen them on the six o’clock news,” Pena said. “And now that you do you’re maybe shocked into the reality of how seriously they oppose those who oppose them. We don’t like to think about that in our county. We like to think we’re open and everything is transparent and when we don’t have that it’s disappointing.”

The IRS said people with concerns can come in before two and ask for a line-item look at the discrepancy, just bring the notice and a copy of the tax return.