Legislator says people should not have to wait months for answers from state Treasury

State Rep. Nancy DeBoer, of Holland, is calling for greater accountability and transparency from the Michigan Department of Treasury as taxpayers across the greater Holland area continue to experience delays with their state tax refunds. The representative said the issue has quickly become the most common concern her office is hearing from the people of the greater Holland area.

“People in our community work hard for their money, and they have every right to know where their tax return is and when they can expect to receive it,” said DeBoer. “I know how frustrating this has been for families who have bills to pay and plans to make. My team and I are doing everything we can to get answers, leaving no stone unturned.”

DeBoer said her team has spent significant time contacting Treasury, gathering information and helping residents navigate the process.

“Frustratingly, the department has been as slow to respond to my office as it has to the taxpayers to whom it owes refunds,” DeBoer said. “When department officials do respond, there is still often a lack of answers. We are now in August. People have been waiting far too long. It’s time for the department to get its act together and start treating taxpayers with decency.”

The department has previously blamed the state’s transition to a new tax processing system for the delays in delivering tax returns. During a House Oversight Committee hearing weeks ago, lawmakers questioned Treasury officials about delayed refunds, communication problems, erroneous notices and the difficulties taxpayers have experienced trying to reach someone who can provide answers.

“Sure, implementing a new system is complicated and mistakes can happen. What I cannot accept is a lack of clear communication and accountability for months while those mistakes affect thousands of Michigan taxpayers,” DeBoer said.

The House Oversight Committee is charged with examining the performance of state departments and agencies and ensuring government is operating effectively and responsibly. DeBoer and her Republican colleagues have made transparency and accountability a priority, using legislative oversight to identify problems, demand answers from state officials and make sure Michigan government remains responsive to the people it serves.

DeBoer said the problems go beyond the technology itself. She is particularly concerned about the department’s lack of responsiveness to taxpayers.

“People shouldn’t have to make repeated calls, wait on hold only to be hung up on by the department’s system, or contact their state representative simply to find out what is happening with their own tax return,” DeBoer said. “When someone contacts my office, it means they have exhausted every other avenue, and I am happy to go to bat for them. They are exasperated, and I have made it my mission to get them answers.”

DeBoer has been serving the people of the greater Holland area for a long time, from her start as a member of the Holland City Council in 2005 through her two terms as Holland’s first woman mayor from 2015 to 2019, she has always been at the center of her public service. She said that commitment has not changed since coming to the state Legislature in 2023.

“The years I spent as mayor listening to people in our community and working to solve problems for them were an honor and a privilege,” DeBoer said. “Being their representative means doing the same thing now. When people come to me with a problem, I don’t want to simply tell them that it’s being looked into. I want to know what happened, why it happened and what is being done to fix it.”

DeBoer encourages anyone with a missing tax return to contact her office by phone at (517) 373-0846 or by email at [email protected]. Residents reaching out for assistance should include the following information:

• First and last name

• Tax year(s) of the return in question

• Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) or total household resources

• Filing status

• Email address

• Phone number

• Mailing address

Rep. DeBoer continues to press the department for answers daily.