Promoting Fiscal Responsibility

Comptroller Franchot works aggressively to reward those of you who faithfully pay your taxes by finding – and collecting – from those who do not. For example, in June 2007, the Comptroller's Office launched a unique partnership with the U.S. Treasury Department that allows us to intercept federal vendor payments to satisfy state income tax liabilities...and vice-versa. This new "federal vendor offset" program – the very first of its kind in the nation – will bring in more than $20 million in the first year alone, and will ultimately allow us to recover millions in unpaid taxes owed to the State of Maryland, and level the playing field for those vendors who are currently playing by the rules.

Comptroller Franchot also plans to pursue legislation to enact new initiative which would collect up to $100 million annually in unpaid taxes by modernizing the agency's tax collection system, hiring additional auditors, and attracting and retaining the most qualified tax collectors.