Jones letter: Labrador helped

From the time I was 10 years old until moving to Idaho at 22, I was a competitive fighter. I had over 100 sanctioned bouts and thousands of rounds in the gym. I never quit. I’ve applied that discipline to my small business.

But after the Great Recession I realized I’d failed to file our 2012 W-2s on time and faced a $46,000 penalty from the IRS. After six emotionally exhaustive months of attempting to get through the IRS bureaucracy, I’d fallen flat. Then a friend suggested contacting my congressman. I did so in May.

To my pleasant surprise, they quickly set a meeting with me and helped me prepare my case. An IRS taxpayer advocate got involved. In a few weeks, I received abatement on the penalty and the IRS lifted a lien. I even got back a $26 collection fee.

Nobody helped me up when I was in the ring. Now I am happily astonished and grateful for the support I received when I needed it most, both from Raul Labrador and the great business community in Idaho. Idahoans are great people and I’m living proof they give second chances.

This story was originally published July 12, 2017 at 11:09 PM with the headline "Jones letter: Labrador helped."