The Internal Revenue Service threatened to seize a sprinkler company for a penny underpayment of quarterly employee withholding taxes, provoking an angry congressman's intervention.

Rainmaker's Inc. accountant Tom Jaskunas said he informed the IRS the shortfall resulted from rounding that is supposed to be allowed. But he got a nasty written reply: "We must now consider taking your wages, property and other assets."Rep. Scott McInnis, R-Colo., wrote the IRS, questioning the agency's judgment. The congressman taped a penny to his letter, saying, "Now back off Rainmaker." McInnis added that the IRS should provide an explanation "when reality sets in."

The IRS wrote back saying it was dropping the matter.

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Dennis Vanderwist, Rainmaker's owner, said: "What frustrates me is government asks us to play by the rules they don't play by themselves."

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