"Create pathways toward equity": MN Dept. of Revenue announces new Office of Public Engagement
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Citing a need to "create pathways toward equity," the Minnesota Department of Revenue announced Monday a new Office of Public Engagement.
According to revenue officials, the new office will focus on building relationships with community leaders "with an emphasis on reaching underrepresented populations."
Audel Shokohzadeh will lead the new office as director.
"I'm excited to lead this new office to enhance and expand on the amazing outreach work already done at the department," Shokohzadeh said. "Thoughtful public engagement can be a powerful tool to develop new, equity-driven proposals. By ensuring those most impacted by tax policy help advance the equity of tax policies and procedures, we can better serve every person in every corner of Minnesota."
It's the first office of its kind within the department, and officials say it will enhance the department's responsiveness to communities most impacted, but rarely engaged, around tax policy.
"We know that tax policy decisions impact communities in different ways, often depending on their socioeconomic, racial, and geographical makeup," Revenue Commissioner Robert Doty said. "Establishing this first-of-its-kind office within the department will position us to not only gain valuable input from community leaders and organizations impacted by state tax policies and practices, but to use that input to educate the public and policymakers about how to advance equity when making tax policy decisions in Minnesota."
More information right here.
