House Concurrent Resolution 30

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO ESTABLISH AN AMNESTY PROGRAM FOR TAXPAYERS HAVING AN UNPAID TAX LIABILITY DUE AFTER JANUARY 1, 2005, AND BEFORE DECEMBER 21, 2015.

WHEREAS, sluggish revenue collections in the State of Mississippi during the current and preceding fiscal years have required mid-year budget cuts to be made in accordance with Section 37-104-33, Mississippi Code of 1972, thereby directly impacting the state's citizenry by reducing or eliminating certain services and employment positions due to decreased funding; and

WHEREAS, a tax amnesty program would provide a means for the state to generate additional revenue, for the short term, which would help mitigate the current impact of the slowdown in revenue collections; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi has had two tax amnesty programs in prior years: in 1986, an amnesty program resulted in the collection of $1 million; and in 2004, over 500 taxpayers took advantage of an amnesty program that generated over $9 million in collections for the state; and

WHEREAS, as of October 2016, the tax due to the state is $550 million, an amount which is more than three times greater than the tax liabilities that existed at the time of the last amnesty program in 2004 which generated over $9 million in revenue collections; and

WHEREAS, in addition to benefiting the state by generating additional short-term revenue, an amnesty program will afford individual and corporate taxpayers an opportunity to satisfy outstanding liabilities that have not been paid and to file returns for previously nonreported taxes without incurring the penalties and interest that result when a taxpayer's liabilities are discovered by the Department of Revenue; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that while tax amnesty programs should be rare, the state's current economic condition coupled with outstanding tax liabilities for a period exceeding 10 years warrants the Department of Revenue establishing and implementing a tax amnesty program during the 2018 calendar year:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby urge the Mississippi Department of Revenue to establish and implement during the 2018 calendar year an amnesty program for taxpayers having an unpaid tax liability due after January 1, 2005, and before December 31, 2015.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we do hereby urge the Department of Revenue to adopt such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the implementation of a tax amnesty program and to do all things necessary to carry out a tax amnesty program which are not inconsistent with state law or the Mississippi Constitution of 1890.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the Mississippi Commissioner of Revenue.