Goals:

  • Taxpayers and tax professionals alike should have easier access to the information needed to file taxes and work with the Comptroller’s Office.
  • Build active partnerships with local government, non-profits, small businesses, and Maryland residents. 
  • Make sure that the Comptroller’s Office is accessible to and proactively engaging with key stakeholders, especially those who have traditionally been left behind, including immigrant communities, low-income residents, communities of color, people with disabilities, seniors, and Marylanders who do not speak English.
  • The Agency is committed to ensuring that Marylanders in every area of the state are familiar with and able to easily access the services and resources provided by the agency, including filing taxes, accessing tax credits, obtaining legal guidance, setting up payment plans, and more. Over the past year, COM has:

Actions

  • Built a public engagement team to build stronger connections to community and ensure residents know how to access our services and to develop new resources as needed by the public.
  • Hired the Agency’s first Small Business and Community Development Director position to engage with and support the business community.
  • Hired the Agency’s first Director of Intergovernmental Affairs position to engage with and support local and federal government.
  • Procured and implemented a business and taxpayer engagement platform to provide a process to better communicate with taxpayers about changes that will impact them, like the launch of MD Tax Connect, new tax guidance, etc.
  • Created 11 Advisory Councils: Business, Climate, Faith Leaders, Financial Literacy, IT, Labor, New Americans, Staff, Tax Practitioners, Local Government, and Women’s Economic Empowerment to increase engagement in these areas and with these communities.
  • Created an Office of the Taxpayer Advocate to break down systemic barriers and issues that taxpayers experience in filling taxes / working with the Agency.
  • Through legislation, secured additional funding for VITA sites which provide free tax preparation services to residents who need it, especially those who can’t afford to pay a tax preparer.
  • Through legislation, secured funding for outreach and education about individual tax credits – like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the Child Tax Credit (CTC), and the Senior Tax Credit – to increase uptake / utilization.
  • Submitted a budget request for translation services so that the website, communications materials, tax guidance, tax forms, etc. can be made available in multiple languages.

Legend

  • Completed
  • In Progress