Jimmy Patronis, Florida's chief financial officer, is blasting President Joe Biden and the newly signed "Inflation Reduction Act."
Patronis took strong exception to a provision in the new law that includes the funding of over 87,000 new Internal Revenue Service agents.
"Biden just signed into law a bill that supercharges the IRS," Patronis, a Republican, said in a statement. "No one asked for this. It will target Florida. He should have stayed on vacation.
"It spends $80 billion and funds 87,000 personnel to shakedown small businesses and the middle class. I know they're going to target Florida, so I've put forward four proposals to throw their red tape right back in their faces."
Those proposed legislative changes include:
- A requirement that state-chartered banks must produce regular reports on IRS engagement. Patronis said the data would be used to identify IRS targets.
- The establishment of a Civil Liability Trust Fund to aid Florida businesses in defending themselves or even sue the IRS.
- The creation of a license at the state level so new IRS agents would be required to register in order to access account information.
- The establishment of criminal penalties for enforcing laws based on viewpoint or political discrimination.
"Florida has attracted $24 billion of income; largely from Blue States," he said. "Biden's IRS wants to shake down small businesses and the middle class in Florida. We won't let them."
Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis said that expanding the IRS was the Biden administration's way of giving Americans "the middle finger."
DeSantis warned the legislation will result in Washington "going after you."
Jeffrey Rodack ✉
Jeffrey Rodack, who has nearly a half century in news as a senior editor and city editor for national and local publications, has covered politics for Newsmax for nearly seven years.
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