U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, along with U.S. Representative Jared Golden, called on the Internal Revenue Service on Mar. 12 to immediately reverse the closure of its Tax Assistance Centers in Augusta and Bangor.
The lawmakers said the closures could leave some residents in Northern Maine facing nearly a ten-hour round-trip for in-person tax assistance during filing season. They emphasized that rural Mainers deserve equal access to IRS services as those living in other parts of the state.
Tax Assistance Centers are physical offices that help people who lack stable internet access or need help navigating technology. With previous closures of the Presque Isle center and no center in Downeast Maine, many already travel long distances to reach Bangor. If both Bangor and Augusta remain closed, a resident from Fort Kent would have to travel about 600 miles round-trip to South Portland, which would be the only remaining center in Maine’s Second Congressional District.
After hearing from constituents about the closures this filing season, Collins, King, and Golden contacted the IRS for confirmation. In their letter they wrote: “TACs provide critical services to rural communities and seniors […] We ask that you restaff and reopen the TACs in Bangor and Augusta in a timely manner, and work with the Maine Congressional Delegation on a longer-term strategy to avoid future prolonged disruptions to these services in Maine.”
The lawmakers also asked for information on how a federal hiring freeze affected staffing at these centers, whether Mainers unable to access tax assistance will receive an extended deadline to file taxes, and what steps will be taken by the agency to support affected residents. Last year, after outreach from Maine’s delegation, the IRS reversed a planned closure of its Bangor office.
The request highlights ongoing concerns about service availability for rural communities as tax season continues.
