On Monday March 26, 2007 at the City of Atlanta Workforce Development Agency, Congressman Lewis (GA-5) hosted a news conference and informational forum to discuss an under-utilized tax benefit called the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). The Congressman invited IRS Commissioner Mark Everson and Mayor Shirley Franklin to discuss the local and federal resources available to assist Metro Atlantans in obtaining these resources.
850,000 Georgia taxpayers qualified for and received this benefit last year. They were able to claim as much as $4,536 in individual refunds, but thousands never apply. Nationwide about 25 percent of eligible taxpayers or 5 to 7 million Americans miss the opportunity to claim an estimated $12 billion in unclaimed federal funds. As Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Subcommittee on Oversight, Rep. Lewis decided to make this benefit the subject of his first hearing in February.
“Poor and moderate income families need all the help they can get today,” said Rep. Lewis. “An Earned Income Tax Credit refund could mean more food on the table for hungry children, money to hold back evictions, life-saving medications for a senior citizen, and even a new home for a hopeful family. That is why I want to use my chairmanship to help reform the tax code and place every possible tool in the hands of creative mothers and fathers who are struggling to support their families.”
Commissioner Everson agrees that this credit enables more families to reach for the American dream. “The Earned Income Tax Credit can transform people’s lives,” said Commissioner Everson. “At the IRS we want all eligible taxpayers to claim this benefit. My thanks go to Congressman Lewis, Mayor Franklin, and the Atlanta volunteers for all their hard work to support this program.”
During a Ways and Means hearing in February, Atlanta distinguished itself as one of the most effective deliverers of taxpayer services in the country. Over 250 Atlanta residents have filed their taxes for free using the Voluntary Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Center located at the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency. Of those filers, 115 were eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit and received over $184,000 in credit. The VITA Center is a partnership between Atlanta Workforce Development Agency and the Mayor’s Office of Weed and Seed, which allows free tax preparation for Atlanta residents earning a yearly income of $39,000 or less.
Atlanta is one of approximately 250 Weed and Seed sites nationwide. Last year, the Community Capacity Development Office (CCDO) through funding from the U.S. Department of Justice provided technical assistance and computer labs that enabled Weed and Seed sites to launch VITA Centers and build the capacity to do electronic tax filing. Currently, Atlanta Weed and Seed is one of two CCDO sponsored VITA centers in the state of Georgia; the other is located in Athens. The local IRS liaison provided tax preparation software, training, and technical support to the AWDA Weed and Seed VITA Center which opened January 29, 2007. This partnership commits the resources needed to sustain this center for at least two years and has set a goal of at least 100 tax returns processed per season. For the first two week’s effort, staff and volunteers completed returns for 102 clients who received refunds of $192,312 of which (39) were eligible for EITC.
Mayor Franklin recognizes the hard work of city officials in partnership with community agencies to spread the word about these benefits and help residents claim what is theirs.
“Local governments,” said Mayor Franklin, “are an important partner in expanding the reach of EITC. This is a great opportunity for governments to partner with other charitable organizations, social-service agencies, schools and businesses to educate low-income families on the many different ways they can keep more of the money they earn.”
For more information, please contact Michelle Hunter at (404) 880-7224.
The City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Weed and Seed coordinates federal, state, municipal and community resources to co-design neighborhood action plans that reduce crime, monitor juveniles, keep students in school, revitalize neighborhoods and build community capacity.
The Atlanta Workforce Development Agency was created through the Workforce Investment Act, which was signed into legislation in 1998. AWDA is a collaborative partnership between Atlanta’s public and private sector, which develops and cultivates an adequate pool of qualified employees for the constant growing business market. Since its inception, AWDA has succeeded in assisting thousands of residents achieve and maintain employment opportunities.
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For more information about this and services of the City of Atlanta visit our website at www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26.