2A | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 20, 2021 | APPEAL TRIBUNE Address: P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309 Phone: 503-399-6773 Fax: 503-399-6706 Email: sanews@salem.gannett.com Web site: www.SilvertonAppeal.com Staff News Director Don Currie 503-399-6655 dcurrie@statesmanjournal.com Advertising Westsmb@gannett.com Deadlines News: 4 p.m. Thursday Letters: 4 p.m. Thursday Obituaries: 11 a.m. Friday Display Advertising: 4 p.m. Wednesday Legals: 3 p.m. Wednesday Classifieds: 4 p.m. Friday Property owners in West Salem face some of the largest property tax bills in the Willamette Valley. STATESMAN JOURNAL FILE Unemployed could be in for a tax surprise Bill Poehler Salem Statesman Journal USA TODAY NETWORK Thousands of first-time unemploy- ment filers in Oregon could be in for a surprise when they file their 2020 tax returns. Over 600,000 people in Oregon filed for unemployment since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. When they did, whether they remember or not, they were prompted to choose whether they wanted money from their unemployment withheld. It’s unclear how many did not. Unemployment benefits are consid- ered taxable income by the Internal Rev- enue Service and the state. If people didn’t choose to have taxes withheld, they face a significant tax liability when filing their 2020 taxes. Oregon Employment Department acting director David Gerstenfeld said the department will begin sending out the 1099-G forms, which show how much money people received in unem- ployment benefits and how much tax was withheld, next week. He said all of those forms should be mailed by Jan. 31. “For anybody who wants a digital copy, the 1099G form will be available in the online claims system so people don’t have to call or write to us, they can just access that directly in the online claims system,” Gerstenfeld said. Those in Oregon who claimed unem- ployment were given a choice of holding 10% of their benefits for federal income News Tips The Appeal Tribune encourages suggestions for local stories. Email the newsroom, submit letters to the editor and send announcements to sanews@salem.gannett.com or call 503-399-6773. Classifieds: call 503-399-6789 Retail: call 503-399-6602 Legal: call 503-399-6789 Missed Delivery? Call: 800-452-2511 Hours: until 7 p.m. Wednesdays; until 3 p.m. other weekdays To Subscribe Call: 800-452-2511 $21 per year for home delivery $22 per year for motor delivery $30.10 per year mail delivery in Oregon $38.13 per year mail delivery outside Oregon Main Statesman Journal publication Suggested monthly rates: Monday-Sunday: $22, $20 with EZ Pay Monday-Saturday: $17.50, $16 with EZ Pay Wednesday-Sunday: $18, $16 with EZ Pay Monday-Friday: $17.50, $16 with EZ Pay Sunday and Wednesday: $14, $12 with EZ Pay Sunday only: $14, $12 with EZ Pay To report delivery problems or subscribe, call 800-452-2511 To Place an Ad Published every Wednesday by the Statesman Journal, P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309. USPS 469-860, Postmaster: Send address changes to Appeal Tribune, P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID: Salem, OR and additional offices. Send letters to the editor and news releases to sanews@salem.gannett.com. taxes and 6% for state income taxes. But that was voluntary. “A lot of people do have those amounts withheld and we’ve already forwarded those on to the Internal Reve- nue Service or the Oregon Department of Revenue,” Gerstenfeld said. Those who didn’t choose to have the tax withheld could be facing a large pay- ment, especially with the boosted un- employment amounts – $600 weekly from March to July and $300 weekly until September. All of that additional money is tax- able, too The stimulus payments of $1,200 and $600 that were sent out in April 2020 and January 2021 are not taxable. But people who did not receive one of the payments are eligible to claim them on their taxes as deductions, according to a statement from the IRS. Some people who had their 2019 tax refunds directly deposited had their stimulus payments deposited a differ- ent bank account than the one on their 2019 taxes. If there is a third stimulus payment that comes in 2021, some people will need to update their routing of it, either by direct deposit or physical address, in order to receive the payment. Bill Poehler covers Marion County for the Statesman Journal. Contact him at bpoehler@statesmanjournal.com or Twitter.com/bpoehler A long line of cars forms at the Marion County and Salem Health COVID-19 vaccination clinic along Silverton Road Northeast on Thursday at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem. ABIGAIL DOLLINS / STATESMAN JOURNAL Vaccine where people can register to be told when it’s their turn. Healthcare and long-term care facil- ity workers should check with their em- ployers. Long-term care facility resi- dents will be vaccinated at their facili- ties. Marion County and Salem Health are sponsoring vaccination clinics for peo- ple who qualify and aren’t vaccinated by their employers at the Oregon State Fair- grounds, 2330 17th St. NE in Salem. Continued from Page 1A tions were added with just minutes to spare. Some, such as agricultural work- ers and food processing employees, were removed. In Oregon, some large COVID-19 out- breaks have been in agriculture, and food processing, and in communities that are home to those industries. The committee began meeting on Jan. 5. It had one official and two option- al meetings before Thursday. The recommendation now goes to the Oregon Health Authority. Are vaccinations free? What does Oregon’s COVID-19 vaccine distribution look like? In Oregon, vaccines currently are generally available to: h Health care workers at hospitals, urgent care clinics, outpatient settings, public health and early learning set- tings. h People who work in hospice pro- grams, mobile crisis care and related services, secure transport and non- emergency medical transport. h Employees and residents of skilled nursing, long-term care and memory care facilities. h Emergency medical service provid- ers and other first responders. h Tribal health programs. Oregon health care workers and residents of long-term care facilities are currently getting the COVID-19 vaccinations, and teachers and residents over age 65 will be eligible starting Jan. 23. On Thursday, a state group suggested who would come after that. BRIAN HAYES/STATESMAN JOURNAL h In-home care and day treatment services. h People working in correctional set- tings. h Death care workers. On Jan. 23, Oregon will begin allow- ing vaccines for K-12 educators and staff and childcare providers, and for anyone age 65 and older. Gov. Kate Brown is scheduled to pro- vide more details on Oregon’s distribu- tion plans for those groups at a Friday news conference. The committee’s recommendation is for who follows next. Can I register somewhere to be notified when it’s my turn? Unlike some states, including neigh- boring Washington, Oregon does not have plans to set up an app or website Yes. The federal government has pur- chased the vaccines, and residents won’t be charged for them. However, some places may charge a fee to admin- ister the shot. Insurance should cover the fee. Can I stop wearing a mask and social distancing once I am fully vaccinated? No. Health officials say it’s possible even a fully vaccinated person could still be- come infected and experience mild ill- ness or pass the virus on to someone else. Tracy Loew is a reporter at the States- man Journal. She can be reached at tloew@statesmanjournal.com, 503- 399-6779 or on Twitter at @Tracy_Loew.