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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 25, 1998)
A A FEB. 25, 1998 Page A5 (Ehe 'JjJortlanò ©bseruer Revenue Department Urges Delinquent Taxpayers to File The Oregon Department o f Rev enue has just four words to those Oregonians who haven’t filed their returns over the years: “ Let us help you.” T hat’s right. You w on’t hear any lectures from the department if you are in this situation. “ W e w ant those w ho h a v e n ’t file d to g e t in touch w ith us to se ttle th e ir tax d e b t,” said M ar g a re t L o ftis , m a n a g e r o f th e d e p a rtm e n t’s Filing E nforcem ent p ro g ram . “ Even if you d o n ’t know how m uch you ow e, or you h a v e n ’t file d in 10 y ears, g ive us a ca ll b e c a u se we can help y o u .” By m ak in g th at in itia l ca ll to the d e p a rtm e n t, L o ftis said, the w e ig h t o f ow ing b ack tax es w ill b e g in to lift. “ We h av e a ssisted a lot o f p eo p le w ho have been out o f c o m p lia n c e ,” she ex p lain ed . “ D o n ’t w o rry if you are strap p ed for funds to pay y o u r taxes b e cau se we can w ork w ith y ou to set up a p ay m ent p la n .” Loftis said that most people who are in this predicament don’t pur posely ignore tax return filing. They may not have filed for many reasons: job loss or layoff, illness or death in the family, divorce, or a move out- of-state. When one return isn’t filed, chances are the taxpayer will let sub sequent filings go by as well. “We find, through our experience with taxpayers, that once one year goes by, it quickly snowballs to include the next year and the year after that,” Loftis explained. This is the cycled the Department o f Revenue wants to break. Piling up large tax debt not only hurts the indi vidual taxpayer, it puts an unneces sary burden on those taxpayers who do file year after year. The department’s Filing Enforce ment program works to ease the bur den by diligently seeking taxpayers who haven’t filed. Information about non-filers comes from a variety o f sources including other state agen cies, and the Internal Revenue Ser vice. To contact the department for as sistance in filing, call a Tax Help representative at 503-378-4988. From January through April, you can call toll-free in Oregon at 1-800- 356-4222. Taxpayers also can write the department at 95 5 Center St. NE, Salem, OR. 97310-2501. Spanish speakers may call 503-945-8618. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired only), the year-round toll-free num ber within Oregon is 1-800-886- 7204. In Salem the number is 5203- 945-8617. These numbers are an swered by machine only and are not for voice use. “The sooner you contact us, the sooner you can stop the interest and penalties from adding up,” reminded Loftis. “You may even be entitled to a refund.” Happy 18th Birthday To a wonderful young woman. You are a shiny star, loved by so many, we are so proud o f you! More Choices For You. More Help W here It Counts. U nited w a y o1 t h e C o lu m b ia - W illa m e t t e Transition Projects needs Meal Providers at The Clark Center On M arch 1, 1998 Transition Projects (TPI) will open The Clark Center, a 90-bed shelter for home less men. The Clark Center is named in honor o f former Portland Mayor Bud Clark and former Multnomah County Sheriff Don Clark. With the addition o f the Clark Center, TPI will rely more than ever on the gen- erosity and compassion o f the com munity. One o f the m any ways volun teers can help at The C lark Center is through the M eal Provider Pro gram . The M eal Provider Program is an excellent way for groups, busi nesses and religious organizations to get involved in direct client ser- vices. M eal Providers are respon sible for assem bly o f the ingredi ents, preparation, delivery and ser vice o f a com plete m eal for the 90 men in the shelter. At the Clark C enter there is a full kitchen to prepare and serve the meal. Groups can serve on a regular date each m onth (i.e. Every 2nd. Friday), or becom e a Em ergency M eal Pro vider w here they can be called on short term notice if another pro vider cancels. T here is also a need for groups to serve on random dates that other meal providers are not able to cover. Please call N atalie at 823-4930 for additional infor mation. Paul McCoy to run for Multnomah County board P o rtla n d b u sin e ssm a n Paul McCoy officially announced his can didacy for Multnomah County board o f Commissioners, District 2 seat. The North-Northeast Portland dis trict is now represented by Gary Hansen whose term ends this year. The primary election will be held on May 19, 1998. McCoy has demonstrated experi ence and skill in analyzing complex issues and then developing sound, workable solutions. He has served his community, the city o f Portland, and the State of Oregon in various capacities for most o f his life. “Multnomah county is faced with many important challenges,” said McCoy. “ Public safety, health ser vices, sustained funding for educa tion, and bridge and road repairs are all priorities that must be addressed now. 1 have the will, experience and desire to help resolve these issues. My hope is to serve all the people ot Multnomah County. I will ask the North-Northeast voters to give me the opportunity.” In 1990, McCoy was unsuccess ful in his bid for the Multnomah county chair position. In 1996, his last minute entry into the Portland City Council race fell short. How ever, McCoy received much public support; nearly 30 percent ot the vote in the City-wide election against a well-funded incumbent. “ I learned from those elections that it can be very difficult to get your true ideas and qualifications out to the people,” says McCoy. “I will meet face to face with as many citi zens in District 2 to ensure that I know their concerns and they know that I’m able to help address them, i continue to believe that leadership should listen.” McCoy, 41, is owner o f Rose City Parking, Inc., a parking management and transportation services company located in North Portland. Prior to that, he served as a special projects administrator and community-busi ness liaison for the Portland City Council, he also served as legislative assistant to the late Oregon State Senator William McCoy, public af fairs p ro g ram m ing d ire c to r tor KECH-TV in Salem, and sergeant at amts for the Oregon H ouseof Repre sentatives. McCoy also supported his mother, the late Gladys McCoy, who served on the Multnomah County Board o f Commissioners and was Multnomah County Chair. Volunteering his time to the com munity has been a big part ot McCoy’s life, currently, he serves on theboard o f directors o f the Northside Family YMCA and the Catholic Charities Organization. Previously, McCoy served on the board o f directors tor Preview the Ancient Egyptian Treasures Know what you’re seeing before you see it. Join Splendors of A n cient Egy pt-Preview , a one-evening primer on the grand exhibit coming to the Portland Art Museum, to be held on Thursday, March 19 at Lin coln High School. Led by a Portland Art Museum docent, the Portland Com m unity College class offers a walk through one o f the largest exhibitions o f an cient Egyptian treasures to visit the United States in decades, coming to Portland at its only W est Coast stop. Showcasine more the 200 master A it pieces, the exhibition offers a pan oram ic view o f E gypt from the predynastic period to the seventh century AD. Best o f all, the $15 cost o f the preview class includes a ticket, a $ 12 value, to attend the exhibition on Saturday, March 21. T he n o n -c re d it class m eets on T h u rsd a y , m arch 19 from 7 to 8 :3 0 PM in R oom 144, L incoln H igh S ch o o l, 1600 SW S alm on St. For m ore in fo rm a tio n , dial PCC C o m m u n ity E d u c a tio n at 6 1 4 -7 3 0 8 . Habitat for Humanity and Soccer in the Street program, vice chair o f the Piedmont Neighborhood Associa tion, vice president o f the Eastside Democratic Club, communications chair o f the N A ACP o f Portland, and as a member o f the North-Northeast Booster Association, St. Vincent Robbe Hardnette,C.E.O. Artistic Director cimon b » ch or *. Portland award. Our Neighborhoods First has been a real blessing to Antoinette Edwards residents of North Portland. The Columbia Villa-Tamarack Family Resource Center Coordinator company and its volunteers have been wonderful helpers and partners in our efforts to build a strong neighborhood. We'd like to salute a spirited community. We're proud to receive the Mayor's Spirit Orion Collins and his sister Zakari Newton team up for the North Portland Caring Community Rose Festival Parade outing, sponsored by PGE's Our Neighborhoods First. of Portland award as a Business of the Year. But we're even prouder to be part of a community where people work together to make this a nice place to live. That's what community spirit is all about. And that's why we consider it a privilege to help sponsor events like the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival, Seed the Future tree plantings and the St. Johns Parade. PGE helps Seed the Future at a tree planting in Portsmouth. The W ater Tower Quality Service at a Affordable Price Specializing in Multicultural Design "The Salon in Oregon” Mademoiselle : Magazine Your Schedule Appoint;: ent is Yours Alone KÍNAI STREU, fol¿WNA WK . box PGE really deserves the Spirit of rd nette At John’s Landing 5331 SW Macadam Portland OR 97201 503/ 227-7511 DePaul Development Committee, Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs, and the H o useof Lights AIDS Hos pice. McCoy, a graduate o f Willamette University, resides in Northeast Port land with his wife, Maria, and their five children. PGE congratulates all the dedicated Spirit award recipients including the Kenton Neighborhood, volunteers Don and Mary Brenda A ddy takes part in the Homowo African Harvest Festival, sponsored in part by PGE's Our Neighborhoods First. Gilbertson, and Lila Estes. We're honored to be counted among them. And to be in a city where community spirit is alive and well. Portland General Electric H£iG "BCRHO O DSi
