“Anytime we can return money to the residents of District 5, that’s good,” said Supervisor Federal Glover. “Tax refunds can act as our own economic stimulus.”

A report presented Jan. 25 to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors said that communities like Pittsburg, could get an infusion of about $6 million in refunds.

To help people with their income tax forms, five Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites will be available for all East Contra Costa County residents in order to raise awareness for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). 

Every year, California fails to claim over $1.2 billion EITC dollars which can contribute to increased economic activity and the creation of thousands of jobs.

There is also the I-CAN program which is a do-it-yourself software program that low-income taxpayers can use for free. 

A study titled Left on the Table in Contra Costa County, which was commissioned by the Family Economic Security Partnership and prepared by Dr. Antonio Avalos of the California State University in Fresno, estimated that Contra Costa County residents claimed more than $77 million in EITC payments in 2007.

However, the study also found that approximately 16,000 eligible Contra Costa County residents failed to claim close to $20 million in EITC refunds in 2007.

All of the information about the sites in Contra Costa County can be found at the website www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org.

The VITA locations are listed below:

Antioch

Antioch Senior Center

415 West Second St. (925) 778-1158 Open: 2/3 – 4/14 Thur: 9am-2:30pm By Appt., Walk-In Spanish

AARP

Opportunity Junction

3102 Delta Fair Blvd. (925) 776-1133 Open: 1/21 – 4/20 Jan., Feb. & April hours: Tues, Wed & Fri: 6pm March hours: Sat: 10 a.m. By Appt.

Spanish

East Bay Works Career Center -Antioch 4545 Delta Fair Blvd. (925) 706-4830 Open: 2/5 – 4/9 Sat: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. By Appt., Walk-In Tagalog

Brighter Beginnings Antioch

418 W. Fourth St. (925) 427-8516 Open: 2/5 – 4/9 Sat: 1 p.m.-6  p.m. By Appt., Walk-In Spanish

Bay Point

Bay Point Works

3105 Willow Pass Rd. #3 (925) 252-2332 Open: 2/3 – 4/12 Mon – Fri: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Sat: 9 a.m.-12 p.m.

By Appt. Spanish (Not ADA accessible)

Pittsburg

Pittsburg Senior Center 300 Presidio Ave. (925) 252-4890 Open: 2/8- 4/12 Tues: 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. By Appt., Walk-In AARP

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