IRS Official Takes New Role Monitoring Charities in Senate

April 08, 2008

IRS Official Takes New Role Monitoring Charities in Senate

Sen. Charles Grassley has tapped a former Internal Revenue Service official to replace a well-known former aide who had aggressively pursued efforts to regulate nonprofit organizations.

Theresa Pattara, a project manager at the IRS Office of Exempt Organizations, will replace Dean Zerbe as Mr. Grassley’s senior tax counsel. Mr. Zerbe left the post in February to join the Washington office of the Alliant Group, a Houston tax-consulting company.

Mr. Zerbe had been a controversial figure in philanthropy, pushing efforts to tighten the rules that govern college endowments, nonprofit hospitals, donor-advised funds, supporting organizations, and evangelical ministries.

Ms. Patttara has a similar reputation. During her time with the IRS, she managed efforts to enforce the Pension Protection Act of 2006 and worked on the revision of the Form 990 informational tax return. The overhaul was the first significant effort to revamp the form, which most charities must fill out to disclose data about their finances and operations, in 25 years.

She had also worked with Mr. Zerbe on Mr. Grassley’s Finance Committee staff in 2005 and 2006 as a Capitol Hill fellow.

“The federal Treasury forgoes billions of dollars a year from tax-exempt groups,” Mr. Grassley said in a written statement. “I need a good member of my tax team to help make sure tax-exempt policy works as well as possible. Theresa knows these issues inside and out.”

For more on some of the key issues that will confront Ms. Pattara, read a transcript of The Chronicle’s recent live discussion with Mr. Zerbe.

—Peter Panepento

Comments

I assume you have good reason to report that “Ms. Pattara has a similar reputation” to that of Mr. Zerbe. I find that surprising.

— Robert Tigner Apr 16, 05:00 PM #

Commenting is closed for this article.

Previous: Climate Change's Effect on the Poor
Next: Nonprofit Group May Remove Sen. McCain From Board