Alexander Lorz

Alexander Lorz is the Finance Minister of the German state of Hesse, affiliated with the CDU party. He is currently newsworthy due to his initiative, "Das Amt macht die Steuer" (The Office Does the Tax), a pilot project originating in Kassel. This project aims to simplify tax returns by allowing the tax office to prepare them for citizens whose electronic data for the previous year is already available to the authorities. Lorz is expanding this project throughout Hesse, potentially impacting 200,000 citizens. Furthermore, four other German states are adopting this model, extending its reach to an additional 300,000 citizens. This development is significant as it represents a move towards greater efficiency and accessibility in tax administration, although differing approaches between states, such as Bavaria, highlight ongoing debates about the best methods for tax simplification.