A local free tax-filing center served about 1,400 fewer people this year than last year because of budget cuts and a lack of volunteers.
In 2009, the Fast and Free Tax Center through Athens County Job and Family Services provided tax support for about 2,300 people through April.
But this year, the center served only about 900 people and closed its doors Feb. 19, said Nick Claussen, spokesman for Job and Family Services. The Center stopped taking appointments in January, about three months earlier than last year.
The Center, which has done free basic tax returns for seven years, had 11 fewer volunteers and 10 fewer staff members, Claussen said.
Job and Family Services could not provide as many staff members because of 2009 personnel cuts, he added.
It's critical to have a staff person because all of us are volunteering and you like to have backup
said Ric Abel, tax center volunteer and former Athens mayor.
The center started partly because the Internal Revenue Service wanted to have a volunteer tax site and Job and Family Services was able to provide the office space, computers, staff members and volunteers, said Don Cooley, a partner at Cotner and Cooley Certified Public Accountants.
Cooley helped to open the center by providing advice and training, he said.
With the right resources and volunteers (we hoped) that this would be a way to provide a service to people that were least able to afford this service he said.
The service is available to anyone regardless of income, Claussen said.
It cuts across all kinds of economic strata ... most people seek someone else to help them do (taxes) Cooley said.
Abel said he assisted a range of people from college students to large families to 80-year-olds.
Volunteers are trained to complete basic returns and can ask staff members or accountants for help, Claussen said. Five volunteers help file returns over the phone while the other five help file in person.
The Athens Job and Families Services Web site suggests those who need assistance with tax forms go to the Ohio Benefit Bank, a free online service.
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Gail Burkhardt
