In late May, a delegation of NCACPA leaders attended AICPA Spring Council in Washington, DC, and also met with legislators on Capitol Hill to advocate in several areas impacting association members. In the video below, CEO Sharon Bryson recaps the topics discussed, as well as the outcomes.
The top three issues of focus included federal tax reform, mobile workforce legislation, and IRS improvements. Association leaders held personal meetings with Senators Burr and Tillis, as well as Congressmen Pittenger, Hudson, and Rouzer.
In attendance representing NCACPA were members Rollin Groseclose, Donna Taylor, Dan Purvine, Cindy Brown, Dianne Uzzell, and Bo Biggs, along with CEO Sharon Bryson and COO Mark Soticheck.
“I am very pleased with how open our conversations were with these legislators. They asked us questions specific to the impact of federal issues on the state of North Carolina, and provided us with very positive responses overall,” adds Sharon Bryson, CEO of NCACPA. “We were definitely heard.”
In regards to federal tax reform, a bill is not expected until near the end of August. NCACPA is viewed as a resource to our congressmen in the area of federal tax, and a strong relationship exists between the association and legislators. NCACPA will proactively reach out when reform is on the horizon to lend expertise and perspective.
The mobile workforce was a topic of robust discussion in NCACPA’s Capitol Hill meetings, as members were able to share many of their own challenges in this area. Many of our members are affected by the complex tax reporting rules required of employers and employees working outside of their home states, and the association was able to make legislators aware of the significant impact of this legislation. As a result of the meeting, Senator Tillis and Congressman Pittenger have agreed to co-sponsor this bill during the current session.
There is definite agreement from legislators regarding the need for IRS improvements, particularly increased customer service, another area where members were able to share their accounts on this issue.
The association’s visits were fundamental in strengthening its advocacy efforts both at state and national levels, and plans for a 2019 trip back to Capitol Hill are already in motion.
NCACPA would like to thank its members who participated in the Capitol Hill visit, and especially acknowledge member Bo Biggs, who was instrumental in arranging these meetings.