Issue/Topic Findings/Discussion Information/Action Action/Follow-up Call to Order 11:30 a.m. Old business/may Minutes approval

Transcription

1 Georgia Society of CPAs GSCPA Taxation Section Leadership Team Meeting August 11, 2009 Minutes Members Present: John Masters, Keith Early, Brad Dickson, Jim Taudte, Virginia Persons, Joel Pascaner, Ron Herman, Larry Nichols, James Cline, Pete Fishman, Bo Jackson, June Clark, Bobby Baker Members Absent: Patti Richards, Bill Harshman, Emmet King, Steve Bancroft, Jason Pease, Jeffrey Gartzman, Thomas Bowen, John Pitts Staff present: Jeff Wells Issue/Topic Findings/Discussion Information/Action Action/Follow-up Call to Order 11:30 a.m. Old business/may Minutes approval RBC Bank Co-sponsored event discussion Virginia Persons Jeff Wells June 2009 Minutes. Virginia Persons provided Leadership team with an update on the RBC Bank Cosponsored event. A motion was made, seconded, and approved to accept the June 2009 Minutes as presented. Event will take place Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at RBC Bank Midtown location. Time is 3:30 5:30 p.m. Virginia Persons encouraged leadership team members to register for event. Leadership team discussed new marketing strategies for event. Leadership team discussed importance of a well attended event. To date, three attendees have registered for event. New marketing strategies include an title change and to broaden the number and scope of potential registrants who receive marketing messages. John Masters discussed how this event can serve as a good barometer as to whether or not future networking Jeff Wells will track the number of Opens and Clicks from the original marketing . Jeff Wells will include MAP Section members on future event communications. Jeff Wells will investigate whether or not a press release is

2 events should be a possibility. possible for this event. Georgia Public Service Commission Bobby Baker, Commissioner Bobby Baker presented information to Leadership team. Bobby Baker spoke to leadership team about: 1) Best ways to work with state and local legislators 2) Tax policy and regulation 3) Georgia Clean Energy Property Tax Credits. Bobby Baker informed leadership team that it would be a good idea to become better acquainted as a group with state legislators. John Masters will contact Chuck Martin about prior experiences with state legislators and seek best practices. It was stated that the Taxation Section will need to go through Society Board of Directors to discuss legislation. GA DOR Meetings Annual IRS Meetings Ron Herman Ron Herman reported on previous and upcoming GDOR meetings. Ron Herman spoke with Karen Lucas regarding HB 334. Offered to possibly sponsor a seminar with Society on September Ron Herman will ask if seminar can be moved to Tax Forum in November. If seminar can be moved to Tax Forum in November, Leadership team discussed the option of recording and offering it as a webcast to membership. IRS/GA DOR Tours June Clark June Clark reported on IRS and GA DOR Tours. June Clark is trying to establish contact with new representatives from both IRS and GA DOR. June will provide exact date once it is finalized. Pete Fishman reported that annual meeting with IRS will take place on IRS Liaison meetings Pete Fishman Pete Fishman reported on future Liaison meetings with IRS.

3 October 20, Then again in January, but date has not yet been finalized. Annual Surveys - Jeff Gartzman Jeff Wells updated Leadership team on status of Annual Surveys. Jeff Wells reported that questions from previous surveys have been passed along to Jeff Gartzman for review. AICPA Tax Division meetings Brad Dickson Brad Dickson updated Leadership team on AICPA Tax Division meetings. Brad Dickson reported AICPA Tax Division meetings are October 26-27, Brad Dickson reported IRS meetings with representatives from state CPA socieities are October 28, Ron Herman and Pete Fishman are able to attend. Georgia Legislative Brad Dickson Brad Dickson updated Leadership team on latest Georgia legislative activities. Brad Dickson reported there is no current update on recent Georgia legislative activities. Brad Dickson will report any appropriate information back to Leadership team after lunch with Mark Chandler. Leadership team agreed a Tax Policy Position Paper should be developed in future. Tax Hotline Joel Pascaner Joel Pascaner updated Leadership team on recent activities relative to Tax Hotline. Joel Pascaner reported a new contact at Georgia Trend magazine for future consideration. Joel Pascaner will follow up with contact to assist. Keith Early reported on various ideas to help improve section web site. Web site & content Keith Early Keith Early updated Leadership team on recent updates relative to section web site Jeff Wells will be working with GSCPA

4 content. Ideas include: 1) Increased focus on recent activities of section and leadership team 2) Greater flexibility of information presented 3) More user-interaction capabilities 4) Incorporate white papers and/or position papers onto section web page communications team to begin implementing ideas. CPE Activities/Tax Forum Bo Jackson Bo Jackson updated Leadership team on future Tax Forums. Bo Jackson reported that next Tax Forums are November 5-6 (Atlanta) and November (Savannah). Strategic Plan John Masters John Masters opened the floor to discuss a strategic plan, to be developed by Taxation Section. After much discussion, Leadership team agrees to development of an official strategic plan. Keith Early, Brad Dickson, and Jim Taudte will meet to formulate basis of strategic plan, to be presented at next Leadership team meeting. Leadership team agreed that the Strategic Plan should include proactive state legislative activity. Leadership team agreed to promote a buddy system event where each member of the Leadership team would invite a Georgia legislator to the event. June Clark, Virginia Persons, Bo Jackson, Larry Nichols, Brad Dickson and Jim Taudte volunteered to work on this project. Position Papers John Masters & Keith Early John Masters and Keith Early opened up discussion relative to development of position papers. Leadership team discussed a proposed White Paper on Ga Tax Court. Volunteers include Bo Jackson, Keith Richard Litwin will head efforts to develop White Paper

5 Early, Brad Dickson, John Masters, and Ron Herman. Richard Litwin and Tad Ransopher will be consulted if they are available. Keith Early opened up discussion relative to development of guidelines set to govern future white paper development. Leadership team aims to have Guidelines and White Paper on Ga Tax Court completed by September 18 Board of Directors meeting. on Ga Tax Court. Keith Early will follow up with Gary Julian relative to guidelines on future white paper development. Keith Early will draft guidelines and send to Leadership team for comment. John Masters provided copy of ABA Health Care White Paper cover letter and disclaimer. Could be used as an example for communicating possible white papers that the Taxation Section Leadership team may develop. Idea: Establish a formal liaison with Georgia Bar Association. Leadership team recommended Jason Stark to serve this role. Webcasting Jeff Wells Jeff Wells discussed possibility of using webcasting technology for future Taxation Section events. Jeff Wells reported that webcasting may need to become an option for future Taxation Section events. Other Items Bo Jackson updated Leadership team on possible successor to current Listserve. Next meetings The leadership team decided the next Bo Jackson advised Leadership team that Board of Directors are researching possibility of utilizing Discussion Forums.

6 Adjournment meeting will take place September 29, Leadership team adjourned the meeting at 1:40 p.m. Action Items: Jeff Wells will track the number of Opens and Clicks from the original marketing . Jeff Wells will include MAP Section members on future event communications. Jeff Wells will investigate whether or not a press release is possible for RBC Bank event. John Masters will contact Chuck Martin about prior experiences with state legislators and seek best practices. Ron Herman will ask if seminar can be moved to Tax Forum in November. Jeff Wells will be working with GSCPA communications team to begin implementing technology/web site ideas. Keith Early, Brad Dickson, and Jim Taudte will meet to formulate basis of strategic plan, to be presented at next Leadership team meeting. Keith Early will follow up with Gary Julian relative to guidelines on future white paper development. Keith Early will draft guidelines and send to Leadership team for comment.