(Keith Srakocic | The Associated Press) This Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2019, in Zelienople, Pa., shows multiple forms printed from the Internal Revenue Service web page that are used for 2018 U.S. federal tax returns. The government says that the average tax refund and the total amount of refunds issued have declined for the second straight week. The declines have become a political issue, as Democrats contend they show how the new Republican-written tax law hurts middle-class people.