Brooklyn Borough President

IT'S YOUR MONEY, COME TO BOROUGH HALL AND GET IT!

Urging Brooklynites not to miss this great opportunity to help you and your family

Borough President Marty Markowitz, along with the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs, wants to make this tax season a very rewarding experience for thousands of Brooklynites and their families by helping them sign up for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). Throughout the week of March 17th, there will be certified tax preparers at Borough Hall to help anyone eligible for EITC file their taxes FREE OF CHARGE. This is part of the citywide EITC campaign targeting the approximately 230,000 New Yorkers who qualify for the credit but do not file.

"I urge every, single Brooklynite, who qualifies for this generous credit, to come to Borough Hall and get what you rightly deserve," Borough President Markowitz said. "We'll have qualified people walking you through the filing process. Don't pass up this great opportunity for you and your family during these difficult economic times. Please don't fuhggetabout the Earned Income Tax Credit because it is your money!"

"When the City and not-for-profits and businesses work together things happen," said DCA Commissioner Gretchen Dykstra. "I thank my local Borough President Marty Markowitz and his staff for their support on this important initiative. We are thrilled to be working together as part of the citywide coalition to identify EITC participants and provide them with the free services they need to get their money."

Those eligible for the EITC are working families with more than one child earning less than $34,178 annually, families with one child earning less than $30,201 annually and individuals 24 years of age and older making less than $11,060 annually. In 2002, the combined EITC, which includes the 25% match from New York State, paid a maximum of $479 to childless taxpayers,
$3,195 to taxpayers with one child and $5,278 to taxpayers with two or more children. If all eligible New Yorkers filed for the EITC, they could receive almost $500 million in credits.

Additionally, individuals without dependent children, who earned less than $15,000 in 2002, and families with a dependent children, who earned less than $35,000, will get their taxes prepared FREE OF CHARGE at Borough Hall.

Individuals can come to the Borough Hall Rotunda and file their taxes on the following dates and times:

Monday, March 17 - 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Tuesday, March 18 - 4:00pm - 8:00pm
Wednesday, March 19 - 11:00am - 4:00pm
Thursday, March 20 - 11:00am - 4:00pm
Friday, March 21 - 11:00am - 4:00pm

Borough Hall is located at 209 Joralemon Street between Court and Adams Streets and is accessible by the 1, 2, 4, 5, A, F, M, N & R subway lines. For more information on this event, please call Dottie Conway at 718-802-3931

Brooklyn Borough Hall is one of the many free tax assistance sites citywide provided by the Partners of the New York City EITC coalition. For more information on the EITC, please contact the DCA hotline at 212-487-4444 or www.nyc.gov/eitc.