U.S. Treasury check with Statue of Liberty engraving and "Economic Impact Payment" labeled.
The IRS is distributing about $2.4 billion to taxpayers who failed to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit on their 2021 tax returns. (Photo courtesy of the U.S. Treasury Department)

Overview:

Lawmakers warn closing Stockton's IRS office will create havoc for taxpayers

Stockton is hardly alone in losing its Internal Revenue Service office as President Trump slashes federal workers and facilities. But its loss could make life harder for San Joaquin County taxpayers.

The Stockton office slated to close is one of seven IRS offices being axed in California, a review of the listings on Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) website reveals. That’s almost double what the next closest state would lose: Massachusetts with four, a review by Newsweek found. Besides Stockton, DOGE has targeted leases on the IRS’ offices in San Mateo, San Marcos, Thousands Oaks, El Centro, Modesto and Visalia.

The IRS Taxpayer Assistance Office in Stockton is at 4643 Quail Lakes Drive. It’s one of two major federal facilities that DOGE says will lose their lease, as Stocktonia.org revealed last week. The other is a Bureau of Prisons building.

Assemblywoman Rhodesia Ransom (D-Tracy) wrote to Trump last week to express her concern about the IRS cutbacks. She said she was “outraged” by the decision to close several IRS offices in her district. She called it “a direct attack on accessibility and fairness, stripping away critical in-person tax assistance at a time when people need it most.”

Ransom warned that the cuts will lead to longer wait times, fewer available appointments, more service delays and longer drives for San Joaquin County residents to get to one of the IRS offices that remain.

A smiling person in a red blazer and white blouse stands outdoors in front of a white balustrade and green foliage.
Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom wrote Gov. Gavin Newsom last week to express her concern about the IRS cutbacks. (Photo courtesy of Assemblymember Rhodesia Ransom)

The same kinds of concerns are being raised across the nation. Three members of Congress wrote Feb. 28 that scores of IRS offices offering taxpayer assistance have been targeted around the country.

In making the hasty decision to close the offices, “they are skirting federal mandatory notice procedures and reportedly shuttering over 100 offices that offer taxpayer assistance—an absolute nightmare for taxpayers,” said the joint statement from Reps. Richard E. Neal, (D-Mass); Terri Sewell (D-Ala.), and Mike Thompson, (D-Calif.)

Republican lawmakers haven’t said much yet about the cuts, waiting to see how it all works out.

What’s has not been disclosed is how many IRS employees will ultimately be laid off or take buyouts. As was just announced at the Department of Education, Trump may be planning to halve the workforce the IRS, the Associated Press reported this week. Before the cuts, the agency had about 90,000 workers. It’s already been reported that even aside from departures, the IRS is being urged to lend employees to the Department of Homeland Security to help with immigration enforcement.

Similar to what was announced concerning the Department of Education, Trump may be planning to halve the workforce the IRS, the Associated Press reported this week. Before the cuts, the agency had about 90,000 workers. Adding to the confusion, a federal judge Thursday ordered five federal departments to offer to rehire the probationary employees they had fired. The list of departments includes Treasury, of which the IRS is a part.

Trump’s moves are in stark contrast to an expansion of the IRS’ staff under President Joe Biden. The Biden administration then said the extra staffing would save more income by providing the manpower needed to crack down on wealthy tax cheats.