IRS Chief Was Pushed Out

THE DAILY FED

IRS Chief Was Pushed Out

Richardson announced earlier this month that she would step down after this year's tax season ends in April.

Both Richardson and Deputy Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers, who oversees the IRS for the department, told the Journal that Richardson made the decision on her own. But other officials said she resigned after a meeting with the Secretary in which he prompted her to leave so that he could find a new IRS chief with more management experience.

Richardson acknowledged that Rubin discussed "his concern about management at the IRS." She also said he talked of finding a business manager to replace her.

Richardson inherited an agency that has had severe problems with its effort to replace its antiquated computer systems. She enlisted outside experts to take over the agency's Tax Systems Modernization program, but it is too early to tell when the modernization effort's myriad difficulties will be solved.

Though most people close to the agency say Rubin is searching for a private sector manager to take over the IRS, Summers told the Journal that "a manager with private- and/or public-sector experience" is being sought.