December 12, 2008

District 8 Report

Volunteer to help prepare taxes

By Vice Mayor Dave Cortese
Special to the Times

The response to the call to action in my column last month on volunteering was amazing, so much so that I couldn’t let the topic rest and wanted to share another wonderful opportunity for you to exercise your volunteer skills, by becoming a volunteer income tax preparer for low income residents.

Think of it as providing an economic stimulus package to those who need it most. Last year, United Way Silicon Valley working together with the IRS, Catholic Charities, and other community partners, along with a cadre of volunteers, helped provide free tax preparation to over 4,200 families in Santa Clara County, helping those families receive their portion of over $3.8 million in total tax refunds! I can only imagine the joy and relief that these families must have felt when they saw the refund due to them.

Unfortunately many families who need the funds the most do not know about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Care Tax Credits, programs that are designed to help working families keep the money for which they have worked so hard. With your assistance, just a few hours a week until April 15th, these families can receive their refunds which will help put them on a path to financial security.

That’s all it takes, just a few hours a week. The free training to receive your IRS Certification is only 12 to 16 hours. Then during tax season, January to April 15th, your generous work each week can make a world of a difference for a family in need. Even if you can not work every week, your time will be greatly appreciated.

And if you want to help but you are not fond of numbers and math, there are other opportunities available. The IRS needs volunteers to help out as greeters, translators, and screeners to make sure the taxpayers have all the necessary paperwork for their refund.

I know most of you probably do not want to think about taxes during this holiday season. Yet now is a perfect time to start your training so you can give these working families a second Christmas in the spring.

If you would like to help out, the training is currently taking place now through December; the sooner you register, the better for your schedule.

If you have any questions or would like to sign up, please contact the United Way Silicon Valley at volunteer@uwsv.org or at (408) 345-4310. You can also contact me at dave@davecortese.com.

It has been my honor to serve you over the past 8 years, and I am grateful to the Evergreen Times for allowing me the opportunity to communicate with you through this column on issues such as building parks, calming neighborhood streets, improving public safety and much more. While I am sad to be leaving my post at City Hall, I am excited that our community will be in the very capable hands of our new City Councilmember, Rose Herrera. I know she will use her experience and dedication to successfully represent us on the City Council.

Through December 16th, my staff and I are available at City Hall to serve the public and can be reached at the District 8 Council Office (408-535-4908). After December 16th, if you have matters involving the city, the new District 8 staff will be in place to serve you.

I look forward to continuing to serve our community as the District 3 Supervisor for Santa Clara County, a role which will commence on December 17, 2008, and to continuing this column from that office. As my staff and I immerse ourselves in the business of connecting neighborhoods with county government, look for monthly updates in future columns. If you would like to contact me on matters related to the County, please email me at dave.cortese@bos.sccgov.org or call 408-299-5030.

I look forward to seeing you out in the community, perhaps at a neighborhood barbeque or a daffodil planting, and to continuing our joint efforts to make the Bay Area a wonderful place for our families to live and grow. Best wishes for a happy holiday and prosperous and peaceful new year.