Dem says cut to IRS budget will only grow deficit

House Appropriations Committee ranking member Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) on Wednesday blasted newly proposed cuts to the Internal Revenue Service budget released by the GOP.

The 2012 appropriations bill provides $11.5 billion for the IRS, $606 million below the current level and $1.77 billion below the President Obama’s request. 

“The IRS estimates that this cut will end up costing $4 billion per year due to the lack of enforcement on tax cheats. This remains one of the only examples I’ve found yet where the GOP’s “Cut and Grow” theory works," Dicks said. "This cut literally increases the deficit." 

He said that the IRS has estimated as many as 4,100 employees would have to be furloughed if the cut goes into effect. He noted that the GOP tried to make the cut in the 2011 spending fight but failed.

National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley said the cuts could result in the loss of more than 8,000 IRS jobs.

House Appropriations Committee Financial Services subcommittee Chairwoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) rebutted Dicks' claims to The Hill. She said she has statistics that show the last two times the IRS budget was increased, tax collection efforts were actually less effective. She said that workers would not necessarily need to be furloughed under her bill and she noted that she worked to protect a vital IRS computer systems improvement project.