2010-2011 Year in Review - California Society of Enrolled Agents

COmmiTTEES
Finance & Budget James E. Houston, EA
The Finance and Budget Committee (F&B) has the responsibility
of presenting a proposed budget for the following
fiscal year to the Board of Directors (BOD) for their
review and approval at the May Board Meeting. The proposed
budget approval process is a labor-intensive effort that starts
with the CSEA staff, followed by F&B and finally the BOD. The
2011-2012 financial snapshot finds CSEA in a weak financial
position that has deteriorated over the past several years to
the point that F&B felt a dues increase was necessary, the first
in several years.
But it is my belief that CSEA’s financial recovery must no
longer depend just upon dues increases and Super Seminars
to cover their list of payables. Other revenue sources and
cost-cutting measures must be found.
One of the more obvious (and least painful) measures could
be to expand our education course offerings and methods
and provide education through the Internet, from registration
to final grade and CPE certificate. As I have mentioned to
our Education Committee, our competition is either already
doing this or figuring out how. Our competition is not stupid
and CSEA has no exclusive on the amount, type or method
of knowledge that can be offered. Further, if CSEA restricts
education offerings (and thus income) to Super Seminars, we
will be eliminating an income source that could be equal to
or more lucrative than our Super Seminars (SSs).
I also believe that if CSEA offered more basic and beginner
courses online, e.g., a Registered Tax Preparer Review Course
and an EA Exam Review Course (our competition is already
Legislative Affairs Gary Anspach, EA
Working from the strong foundation of legislative advocacy
built in recent years, 2010-2011 was a year of new
approaches and giant leaps. We reduced the size of the
Committee to make us more efficient and effective while
we expanded advocacy participation throughout the state.
The Chair contacted most Chapter Presidents and Legislative
Chairs by phone to inform them of the upcoming plans.
“Tools and training” was this year’s theme and both high
quality teachers and eager students showed up to make a
difference. We began the year with clear expectations and
agreements for the Committee members and a Microsoft
Office Live workshop to train CSEA Members how to be
successful in their local district legislative visits planned for
the summer. The PowerPoint presentation was used at the
workshop and provided to the Chapters for their use. Also,
packets for the legislative visits were developed and provided
to the Chapters. A support structure was created where
each Committee member was assigned Chapters to provide
assistance and follow-up. This “grassroots” effort engaged
many enthusiastic Member EAs in legislative advocacy and
broadened the participation at Jim Stern Legislative Day
in Sacramento last January. Those who participated in the
18 CSEA 2010-2011 Year in Review
doing this), we could and would be found much easier by
beginning preparers who are much earlier in their careers. To
me it seems this would mean an earlier and longer membership
by more (and younger) preparers. So my recommendation is
that we offer carefully selected correspondence and Internet
courses at all levels, but aggressively go after the beginner
preparers.
Correspondence and Internet courses offered at all levels
would be seen by our entire membership as a valuable (and
convenient) Member benefit. Our SSs have the requirement of
attendance and I believe there is a whole additional world out
there that would love to attend except that they can’t match
up their schedules or that they can’t afford to go.
CSEA should also continue to investigate requiring fewer
Board of Directors meetings and conduct Internet meetings
as much as possible.
In closing, I would like to express my sincere thanks to
the CSEA staff and particularly to Karen Clifford for her great
support that F&B received during my tenure as Chair. I would
also like to thank all members of the Finance & Budget Committee.
Respectfully submitted,
James E. Houston, EA – Chair
COMMITTEE MEMBERS: Cognizant Officer Alma Guenther, EA, Paul
Cheatham, EA, Margy Dunn, EA, Jamie Gibson, EA, Susan Growney,
EA, Vice Chair Patti Kappen, EA, Don Stacy, EA, and Joni Terens, EA.
district visits and Jim Stern Legislative Day reported enlightening
experiences and testimonials. We expect increased
participation in the future with this year’s students becoming
next year’s teachers.
As evidence of the increasing awareness of the tax expertise
of Enrolled Agents in the California Legislature, CSEA
(through the combined efforts of the Legislative Affairs Committee,
the Legislative Action Fund (LAF) and the Political
Action Committee (PAC)) is memorialized as the main support
in the passage of SB 1244 (Walters) (CH 10-522). SB 1244 was
signed into law on September 29, 2010, and resolves certain
long-standing conflicts in the interpretation and application
of various code sections regarding the remuneration of LLC
members. Vicki Mulak, EA chaired the Tax Agency Liaison
Committee (TALC ) and ably and passionately facilitated the
State Tax Agencies Liaison Meeting in September. Questions
submitted to the agencies came from an unusually
broad range of Members and provided for an interesting
and lively day of interaction with high level executives at
the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), Employment Development
Department (EDD) and the Board of Equalization (BOE). Vicki
also presented the oral testimony at the FTB Bill of Rights (FTB