By Mark Wineka
mwineka@salisburypost.com
Through its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance site, the Park Avenue Redevelopment Corp. prepared 219 returns and assisted 360 people during the past tax season.
The Internal Revenue Service-approved site, located at the Park Avenue Community Center, was open each Saturday during the early part of the year through April 12.
Lou Manning said the community organization set a goal of helping to prepare 100 returns but ended up more than doubling that.
The VITA staff included six tax preparers and two greeters, who put in 325 total hours.
The certified volunteers helped to prepare 2007 federal and state tax returns at no charge for individuals with yearly incomes of $40,000 or less.
Manning said the VITA site led to $104,049 in tax refunds for people and $37,800 in economic stimulus checks because their returns were filed.
Salisbury City Council heard a report from Manning at its meeting last Tuesday.
Mayor Susan Kluttz said the Department of Social Services has been informed that 2,943 Rowan County citizens who are entitled to the IRS economic stimulus checks have not received those checks because they have yet to file tax returns.
The deadline has been extended to Oct. 15. For more information, contact Sandra Wilkes or Pat Spears at the Department of Social Services, 704-216-8330.