IRS funding and employment have been cut drastically: IRS operating costs (in 2017 dollars) and average positions realized as a share of total returns, 1994–2017

Average positions realized Operating costs
1994 0.054% 6.631%
1995 0.054% 6.528%
1996 0.051% 6.097%
1997 0.047% 5.624%
1998 0.044% 5.455%
1999 0.044% 5.662%
2000 0.043% 5.328%
2001 0.043% 5.452%
2002 0.044% 5.519%
2003 0.044% 5.679%
2004 0.043% 5.627%
2005 0.042% 5.722%
2006 0.040% 5.629%
2007 0.039% 5.395%
2008 0.036% 5.295%
2009 0.039% 5.903%
2010 0.041% 6.326%
2011 0.040% 6.080%
2012 0.038% 5.781%
2013 0.036% 5.422%
2014 0.035% 5.293%
2015 0.033% 4.939%
2016 0.032% 4.916%
2017 0.031% 4.697%

Source: EPI analysis of data from table 2.3.3 from the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA) from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) and IRS data books, 1995–2017

View the underlying data on epi.org.