CHENANGO COUNTY – The Earned Income Tax Credit Partnership Committee came together in 2004 with the goal of helping low to moderate income taxpayers file their returns and to bring federal tax credit money back to the community. After its fourth year, the committee has helped to bring more than $1.8 million back to Chenango County.

On Friday, the EITC Committee held its annual luncheon celebration, honoring this year’s volunteers and announcing the results of the 2008 tax season.

The EITC Partnership Committee is made up of volunteers from area non-profit agencies, businesses and students at local colleges. The volunteers receive training from the Internal Revenue Service and provide free tax preparation services for low to moderate income tax payers. Approximately 37 volunteers donated more than 1,720 hours of their time to the program this year. According to Gary Quarella of Opportunities for Chenango, this year, the EITC Partnership Committee expanded their efforts by partnering with local agencies in not only Chenango but also Madison County.

The Madison-Chenango EITC Committee filed 1,284 tax returns in the 2008 tax season. In 2007, approximately 500 returns were filed in Chenango County and 600 in Madison County, but the numbers were higher than usual as a number of senior citizens filed returns in order to be eligible for stimulus funds.