Peters hopes IRS will cancel move of 80 Detroit jobs

Washington – Sen. Gary Peters says he is optimistic that the Internal Revenue Service will reverse a decision to shift 80 Detroit jobs to Memphis.

The Detroit News first reported Thursday on the planned move and a meeting that the IRS Commissioner John Koskinen held Thursday with Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, and Mayor Mike Duggan. Koskinen has agreed to look at alternative spots in Metro Detroit before moving ahead with the Memphis move, Peters said Friday.

The IRS Detroit location is a Correspondence Production Services office used mainly for printing and mailing correspondence to taxpayers. It requires large printing equipment and loading docks.

“I am pleased that the IRS is working with the mayor and my colleagues in Congress to assess alternative locations for their office in Detroit, rather than hastily relocating it to another state and costing Southeast Michigan 80 jobs,” Peters said. “The IRS should explore all options before forcing hard-working Michiganders to either leave their homes in Detroit or lose their jobs.”

The IRS proposed moving the office to Memphis after it decided to convert the current Detroit IRS facility to office space that can no longer accommodate industrial printing needs, according to Peters’ office.

Duggan told The Detroit News in a telephone interview Thursday that he was optimistic about the city’s proposed alternative.

“These 80 jobs represent a significant number of Detroiters who would be affected if those positions are relocated to another state,” Duggan said. “We are glad the IRS has agreed to revisit its requirements for the facility it needs to house them. Detroit now has a real chance to keep these jobs in the city and allow these Detroiters to remain employed at a job they love.”

DShepardson@detroitnews.com