Free Tax Help for Low-Income Taxpayers

(CHAMPAIGN) � On Wednesday, January 30 at 10 a.m., Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn will encourage working families throughout Illinois to get the help they need to file their income tax returns � and receive tax credits of up to $4,716 � through the tax preparation help.

�Every eligible person in Illinois deserves to receive the full Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC),� Quinn said. �The EITC is the best pro-job, pro-family and anti-poverty tax relief ever devised.� In partnership with the Center for Economic Progress, our office is offering those eligible taxpayers free assistance to fill out their state and federal tax returns and get their full refunds quickly and painlessly.�

Under a grant from the Lt. Governor�s office, volunteer tax counselors from the Center for Economic Progress are offering free tax preparation help during one-day sessions in Jacksonville, Carmi, Karnak, Macomb, Sparta and Danville. During these one-day sessions, Ameren will be providing energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) to clients visiting the site.� Taxpayers can walk in � without appointments � to work with trained volunteers who will help them fill out their returns and make sure they file for all the credits, deductions, and other benefits to which they�re entitled.�

The Center for Economic Progress also administers the Tax Counseling Project statewide. This year, the state of Illinois is supporting free tax counseling at 64 locations across the state. Most sites will open on January 26 and provide services through April 12. The services are provided free of charge to families with annual incomes under $40,000 and to individuals with incomes under $15,000.

�There are still too many families in Illinois who don�t realize they qualify for the EITC,� Quinn said.� �We want to make sure those tax refund dollars go back into the pockets of the working people who need them most.�

In Illinois, the average family filing for the EITC makes less than $14,000 a year, and their refunds average about $1,800 � a major portion of family income. Last year, nearly 30,000 Illinois taxpayers received a total of more than $43 million in federal EITC dollars, helping those families to make ends meet while generating significant benefits for the state economy.

Quinn will be joined by Champaign Mayor Gerald Schweighart; State Rep. Naomi Jakobsson (D-Champaign); and David Marzahl, Executive Director of the Center for Economic Progress.

For more information on the EITC and other taxpayer initiatives, please visit the Lt. Governor's website at StandingUpForIllinois.org.�� For information on the Tax Counseling Project, please call the Center for Economic Progress� toll-free statewide number at 888-827-8511 or visit the website at www.centerforprogress.org.

Special one-day tax preparation sites:
�

JACKSONVILLE
Sunday, Jan. 27
Noon-5pm
Jacksonville Public Library, Lower Level Meeting Room
201 West College Ave
For more information, please call Sharron Zuiderveld at 217-243-5435

�
CARMI
Saturday, Feb. 2
9 a.m.- 4 p.m.
Southeastern Illinois College
1700 College Avenue
For more information, please call Karen Weiss at 618-382-8869

KARNAK
Sunday, Feb. 3
8:30 a.m. � 3 p.m.
Shawnee Development Council, Inc.
530 W. Washington Street (State Route 169)
For more information, please call the Council at 618-634-2201

�
MACOMB
Saturday, Feb. 9
8 a.m. - 3p.m.
Macomb Junior-Senior High School, Entrance K (Commons entrance off Circle Drive)
1525 S. Johnson Street
For more information, please call Bill Jacobs at 309-837-2363

SPARTA
Sunday, Feb. 10
10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sparta Public Library
211 W. Broadway Street
For more information, please call Cristy Stupegia, Library Contact, at 618-443-5014

DANVILLE
Sunday, Feb. 10
9 a.m. � 4 p.m.
Danville Area Community College Lincoln Hall, Rooms 219 & 220
2000 E. Main Street
For more information, please call Suzie Hobick at 217-443-8770

Tax Counseling Project Sites

ALTON
Service begins January 19
Illinois Employment Training Ctr.
90 N. Port Drive
Tues & Thurs, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 10am � 1pm

BLOOMINGTON
Closed Mon, Wed after Feb. 27
Site closed after April 12
Bloomington Housing Authority
104 E. Wood Street
Mon- Thurs, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 9:30am � 12pm

Miller Park Pavillion
1020 South Morris Ave
Mondays, 9am � 2pm

CHAMPAIGN
Service begins February 2
Land of Lincoln Legal Assistance Foundation
302 N. 1st Street
Wed & Thurs, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 9am � 3pm

DECATUR
Site open only on Saturdays after March 8
Decatur Public Library
130 North Franklin Street
Tues & Thurs, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 9:30am � 2:30pm
*Site Closed February 12

EAST ST. LOUIS
Site open only on Tuesdays and Saturdays after March 15
New Bethel Missionary Baptist Church
5803 Belmont Avenue
Tues, Wed, & Thurs, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 10am � 1pm

MARION
Man-Tra-Con Corp.
3000 W. Deyoung, Ste. 800-B
Mon & Wed, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 10am � 1pm

MOLINE
Site open Jan. 29 � Feb. 16
Illinois Employment Training Ctr.
4703 16th Street, Ste. H
Tues & Thurs, 5:30pm � 8pm*
Saturdays, 9am � 2pm
*Appointment only on weekdays, call 309-793-6391

NORMAL
Site open Jan. 25 � Apr. 11
Normal Senior Center
1 Normal Plaza � 1110 Douglas
Fridays, 9:30am � 2:30pm*
*Appointments served first,
Walk-ins welcome.
Call 309-888-9099

Site open Jan. 28 � Apr. 7
Normal Public Library
206 W. College Avenue
Mondays, 5:30 � 8pm
�
PEORIA
Carver Community Center
710 W. 3rd Avenue
Tuesdays, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 9am � 3pm

Friendship House
800 NE Madison
Mon & Thurs, 5pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 10am � 1pm

ROCK ISLAND
Martin Luther King Center
630 Martin Luther King Drive
Mon & Tues, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 10am � 1pm

ROCKFORD
Northwest Community Center
1325 N. Johnston Avenue
Mon & Wed, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 10am � 1pm

SPRINGFIELD
Service begins January 23
Springfield Learning Center
1507 E. Cook
Mon & Wed, 5:30pm � 8pm
Saturdays, 9am � 2pm
*Site Closed Mar. 8, 10, & 12