TAX NEWS - May 2009

california tax: California State Board of Equalization Launches New Website

Betty T. Yee, Chairwoman of the Board of Equalization (BOE), today unveiled a redesigned website, www.boe.ca.gov, which focuses on customer service, making information easy to access and use.

"We are committed to providing outstanding customer service to businesses in California," said Betty T. Yee, Chairwoman of the Board. "We are using the Internet effectively to speed transactions and efficiently help our taxpayers access information to fit their needs."

With many online state tax and fee programs and services available, customers are increasingly interacting with the BOE through the Internet. The BOE is building upon this strong foundation by making this strategic investment to meet growing public expectations for access to services and information 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Specifically, the new website:
- Integrates information related to five major programs – property taxes, sales & use taxes, excise taxes, environmental fees, and fuel taxes.
- Provides easy-to-use, task-driven "How do I…?" links to help customers quickly find what they need.
- Features a new knowledge finder search tool, which will enable visitors to search for specific tax programs and services using key words.
- Achieves consolidation of FAQ pages, glossary tools, and research data and trends.
- Improves access to help customers understand tax issues, rules and regulations, and law guides.
- Streams real-time Board of Equalization meetings.

Californians can also efile returns and pay their taxes online.

The new website design, look and feel, and standards have features customers identified in an independent usability study that included hands-on user testing, web page usage statistics and comprehensive interviews with BOE customer service representatives that are the first line of contact with customers calling the BOE in search of easy to find information.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects more than $53 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services. It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes.