RESPONSE `TREMENDOUS' TO TAS ASSISTANCE

A spokesperson for the Cape Girardeau County Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program says response to the start of this year's program is overwhelming.

"We had a tremendous response on Monday, the opening of the VITA program in Cape Girardeau," said Dorothy Ank, local program coordinator. "We had to turn people away at closing time."

The VITA program provides free tax preparation assistance to low income, elderly/handicapped and non-English speaking residents who live in the Cape area and must fire federal income tax returns.

The nation-wide assistance program is sponsored each year by the Internal Revenue Service, in cooperation with thousands of trained VITA volunteers. Ank said the volunteers include university students, law students and members of various professional and business organizations who have received specialized training by IRS instructors.

"This is our ninth year of operation in Cape Girardeau County," said Ank. "This year, we have 25 VITA volunteers who will work each week in Cape Girardeau, Jackson and Scott City. The VITA services will also be offered on an individual appointment basis in Bell City and Tamms, Ill."

Ank said from now until the April 15 filing deadline, the VITA volunteers will be at the following locations:

- Monday, noon-3 p.m., in the Hirsch Community Room at the Cape Girardeau Public Library.

- Tuesday, 9:30 a.m.-noon at the Jackson Nutrition Center.

- Wednesday, 9:30-11:30 a.m., at the Illmo Housing Authority Center.

Ank said individual appointments for VITA tax assistance in Bell City can be made by calling 733-4112 or 334-1871.

In Tamms, those wanting to make appointments for VITA tax assistance should call 1-314-334-1871.

Persons seeking assistance should bring with them their 1990 federal tax return, 1991 W-2 forms and Form 1099s for interest and dividends, any papers relating to pension payments, and any other documents that list income or deductible expenses in 1991.