Democratic members of Illinois’ congressional delegation are urging the IRS to move ahead with plans for a new print and mail management facility in Bloomington. A congressional staffer told WGLT that the project was targeting downtown Bloomington and could create several hundred jobs.
The members of Congress sent a letter Monday to IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. In it, they “commend” the IRS for “its plan to build a new Taxpayer Correspondence print and mail management facility in Bloomington.”
“This new facility is an excellent opportunity for the agency to improve service to taxpayers by effectively leveraging new technology and systems, while also benefiting the Illinois economy by creating jobs and spurring economic activity,” the lawmakers wrote. “We urge the agency to finalize plans to build this facility as quickly as possible.”
Co-signing the letter were U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth, as well as U.S. Rep. Eric Sorensen, whose district includes parts of Bloomington-Normal. They write that “this would be the third facility built by the IRS to help manage the agency’s correspondence with taxpayers, allowing the agency to provide standardized and efficient service to taxpayers across the country.”
“The facility’s location in Bloomington will also have a positive economic impact on central Illinois, bringing good paying jobs to a diverse and growing community. We understand that these are federal jobs, which will be hugely beneficial to the region, and should have a multiplier effect in creating economic activity,” they wrote.
Details on the project were scarce Tuesday afternoon, including its cost and any timeline for construction.
“Our understanding is that it would be the repurposing of an existing facility in downtown Bloomington that would create several hundred jobs. The IRS is moving forward with the facility and it’s just a matter of which location they settle on,” said a Sorensen spokesperson.
Others haven’t heard anything about the possible project. “This is news to us,” said Patrick Hoban, CEO of the Bloomington-Normal Economic Development Council. A City of Bloomington spokesperson said they too are unaware of any plans.
WGLT has reached out to the IRS for comment.
