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For Immediate Release
Contact: Sergeant Craig Gundlach (209) 652-3184
No. 07-016
January 26, 2007
Modesto Mayor Proclaims Special Day
A proclamation signed by Modesto Mayor Jim Ridenour at the January 23 City Council meeting designates February 1, 2007 as National Earned Income Tax Credit day in Modesto. The proclamation was presented by Vice Mayor Brad Hawn to Modesto Police Assistant Chief Mike Harden.
National EITC Day is an event organized by the IRS and its stakeholders to educate the public about EITC and requirements to claim the credit. Nationally, the IRS is planning events on February 1 that will bolster local efforts to educate the public about this credit. In Stanislaus County, representatives from the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (VITA/TCE) Centers, along with representatives from the IRS and the United Way, have formed a collaborative to promote the EITC and free volunteer tax preparation in our area.
VITA / TCE centers offer free quality tax preparation services to seniors and low-to-moderate income individuals living in our communities. Certified volunteers, sponsored by various organizations, receive training to help prepare basic tax returns. There are fourteen VITA/TCE sites located in eight cities in Stanislaus County.
Paradise South Weed and Seed received a grant in late 2005 from the federal Community Capacity Development Office that included six computers to equip a VITA center. The Weed and Seed VITA center is a partnership with the Housing Authority of Stanislaus County and is located at the Housing Authority Community Center at 1701 Robertson Road, Modesto. Weed and Seed Coordinator Cindy Rhea is hoping for a good turn out at the Weed and Seed VITA center. “During this tax season our VITA center hopes to assist at least 100 low to moderate income taxpayers with preparing and filing their taxes. The earned income tax credit can really make a difference for these taxpayers and their families,” Rhea said.
According to the National League of Cities the EITC is one of the most successful federal anti-poverty programs ever developed. In tax year 2004, the EITC was worth $40.7 billion. Approximately 22.4 million families received the credit in 2004 with an average refund of $1,800.
The IRS estimates that 25 percent of people who qualify for the income tax credit do not claim it. “People who work but don’t earn a lot of money may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit as well as free help preparing their tax return. National EITC Day is a nationwide effort to increase public awareness about EITC and free tax preparation sites. The IRS appreciates the tremendous work of our community partner organizations that provide help and information to those who need it the most,” said IRS spokesman Jesse Weller.
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P.O. Box 642, Modesto, CA 95353