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HomeMy WebLinkAboutmoreno presentation-1Earned Income Tax Credit Outreach Program City of Miami FIU's Metropolitan Center Three Aspects of the Program: ■ Survey of Residents eligible for EITC ■ The Campaign ■ The Results The Survey 400 Persons November 11-14, 2002 Only people eligible for EITC Tax Credit Poll Findings: ■ Only 26.9% of the respondents remember filing for the earned income credit in 2001. 48.1% of the respondents claimed they did not file for the credit and only 25% could not recall whether or not they applied. ■ Three quarters of the respondents did not apply for credit did not know about the credit. ■ Non -Citizens Hispanics was the group most likely not to apply for the credit even if they qualify. Poll Findings: ■ An overwhelming number of non -Citizens 83.3% who did not apply for credit in 2001 did not know about it. ■ The survey indicated that there is significant reluctance among non -citizens to apply for federal programs even if they qualify. 22.9% of the non -citizens said they would not apply for the EITC even if they qualified. Recommendations ■ Public education Campaign in all communities ■ Special outreach to non -citizens ■ Any programs to increase EITC filings among non -citizens has to include the network of storefront offices that provides professionals services to the non -citizen community. Campaign • Mayor's Office • Radio Appearances • New Conferences • Speeches • Mail Campaign • Mailers to Professional Tax Preparers • Mailers to every household in Miami • Second citywide mailer • Call Center • Tri-lingual operators • 9920 referrals Results ■ The Program was a highly successful program in raising public awareness and the program should be continued next year. ■ The Internal Revenue Services reported an eighteen percent (18%) increase in the use of its tax assistance sites (VITA) in the city of Miami ■ According to the IRS the number of City of Miami residents receiving EIC Tax credit increase from 60,170 to 63,247. Number of EIC Applicants s WI 65,000 60,000 55,000 50,000 Number of EIC Applicants TY 2001 60170 TY2002 63247 More Results ■ According to the IRS the increase in monies going to low income workers in the City of Miami from the credit increase from $11O,000,000 to $123,5000,000. ■ The City captured a little over half of the $26,000,0000 that the IRS estimated are potential EITC claims in the City of Miami.