The Maryland Comptroller’s Office says it does not have enough staff to answer taxpayer calls, a shortage that comes as reported call volume has increased and the agency prepares to launch the biggest overhaul of Maryland’s tax system in more than 30 years.
According to reports from the Maryland Office of the Taxpayer Advocate, the number of call-agent positions fell from about 75 in 2022 to 57 as of January 2026. During that same period, reported call volume increased from roughly 1.1 million to nearly 2.5 million calls, though the agency notes changes in its phone system affected how calls were counted. A separate analysis by the Department of Legislative Services found average taxpayer hold times reached their highest level in more than a decade.
Gerard Willie is among the taxpayers who say they’ve struggled to get answers from the Comptroller’s Office. He’s spent years trying to recover the remainder of a refund tied to his 2021 tax return…