European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 13, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes wednesday january 13,1986 irs trouble shooting system needs doctoring Gao says Washington a a trouble shooting mechanism established by the internal Revenue service 10 years ago to solve taxpayer problems has some hitches of its own a congressional study says. The irs can improve on the Success of its problem Resolution  say the report by the general accounting office the investigative Arm of Congress. The report says inc lax Agency should do a better Job of steering taxpayers to the program. Ii hid that in 1985, Many taxpayer with late refunds or erroneous notice problems were not referred to pro even though those were Juit the Type of Cam the program 11 supposed to handle. Many taxpayers Are not being identified or prop Erly referred the report said. This is due in part 10 irs employees not obtaining enough information from taxpayers to determine whether they qualify for  the Gao said taxpayers who were steered to pro were usually satisfied with the results. The program has been successful in achieving its taxpayer assist Ance objectives and helping to improve irs image in the Eye of taxpayers in said. Lottery plagued by logging sales in West Virginia Charleston. . Apr the West Virginia lottery c Ommi wion faces lagging sales and dwindling income and should consider laying off workers and Doi Inu some offices to control costs lottery officials said  lottery director. Oscar Wallace said the Agency s costs so far this fiscal year Are running about 4 percent Over what slate Law permits. If lottery sales Don t improve cutbacks arc inevitable he said. Expenses Ore More than they should be said the lottery commissioner James Foster. If the revenues continue As they Are. We should look at the feasibility of eliminating or closing District  the commission Ope Rales nine regional offices. Under slate Law. Inc commission operating expense cannot exceed 21 percent of grass income during the first three years of the Agency s existence. In inc firs half or this fiscal year the lottery spent about 25 percent of its proceeds on  Wallace said. Last week was the lottery s most successful this Fis Cal year and Wallace said he is confident sales will continue to improve. But Overall sales have been slip Pine this year after a successful first year. Without a sales increase tic commission Wilt have to devise a plan that would drop operating costs to 21 percent by the june 30 end of the fiscal year Wallace  the Ikird year of operations state Law says the commission s operating costs cannot exceed 15 per  said he will Jolo Chicago this week to consult with totter experts 10 devise ways to increase ticket  said the stale s participation in a new Loito involving five other Stales and the District of Columbia is to begin a Cal month. Players will choose seven num Bers Oul of 40, with a minimum Jackpot of j2 million. The other slates arc Iowa Kansas Missouri Oregon and Rhode Island. It recommended that the irs devise clearer staff procedures to Channel taxpayer questions to the pro Gram and in suggested that the irs urge taxpayers to use a tall free Telephone system instead of writing in order to receive assistance More quickly. Pro was created in 1977 to resolve taxpayer inquiries that slip by the Normal trouble shooting system. Taxpayers qualify for the program on the basis of a formula that considers How Many limes they Contact the irs. And How much Lime has elapsed without the problem being resolved. The number of taxpayers using the program has ballooned from 79,000 in 1977 to More than 353,000 in 1986, the reasons for the increase the Gao said included massive computer problems during the 1935 fiscal year As Well As increased awareness among tax payers and irs officials that inc program exists. Another problem ii that irs letters to taxpayers often in the form of computer generated notices arc not always understood. "irs1 unclear communications to taxpayers contributed to the demand for special assistance the Gao said. Two in the hand the feathers flew in front of Manhattan criminal court to new York but police officer John Dole Wunn Chicken he Taw is duty and he did it the officer saw three Birds presumed by police la be Ritt Littna Cocks Loose in front of the court Mon Day. He cued them into a parking Tot Ltd caught two of the Birds. Stateside 2 Texas children drown after falling through ice Bowie Texas api doctors worked More than two hours in a futile Effort to save two Youngner who fell through thin ice into Tarn Pond. Timothy Williams 9. And Amanda Bell. 8, were under the water As Long As 35 minutes and were pronounced dead at Bowie memorial Hospital authorities  100 people lined the Banks of the Pond As the children s Limp bodies were pulled through a Hole. Bystanders picked up die ambulance when in became stuck in the mud. ,.,.police officer Patrick wallers found the children after wrapping a rope around Bis Waist and dropping through one or the holes in the ice owners of Filbert Trees told How to fight blight Portland Ore. A Filbert tree own Cra in four counties face fines if they fail to Lake measures to prevent the spread of Eastern Filbert blight which threatens oregon1 s20.7 million Filbert Industry. Tree owners in parts of Clackamas. Mul Tomah Yamhill and Washington counties must annually Pfay filberts with a Copper fungicide under an emergency order thai look effect dec. 29.spraying should begin As soon As possible said Lorna Young coordinator of entomology and Plant pathology program for the Oregon department of agriculture in  of diseased Trees must prune them bad