Free tax prep offered to some BY SANDRA ISLEY THE CHRONICLE "Building My Future," a campaign that provides free tax preparation for low- to moderate income families and individuals in Winston-Salem, began offering services this week. As part of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Volunteer Income Tax programs, the campaign will have volunteer tax preparers at 12 different locations throughout Forsyth County. The laiiijjctigii nas Dccn in effect for the past four years. Last year, 2,500 families utilized its services. The main goal of the campaign is to keep as much of the money as it' can within the families where it is needed most. By offer ing the services for free, it helns lnw efits not only the families who gel it back, but the local economy as well," said Elliott. Tax preparation is not the only service provided by the cam paign. The tax preparation clinics look to educate recipients of their services about asset-building. They want to encourage the fam ilies to use part of their refunds to set up savings accounts, invest in first-time homeownership or other long-term financial oppor tunities that will prove to be ben eficial to their fami lies incomes. "Once people get (he money back, we also want to give them information and education about what's available, so that they can do things with the money that helps support their family over the long term. It will be Elliott income families to avoid fees that are incurred by others offering tax preparation services. Another way that the program is helping families receive bigger tax returns this year is by making sure that those who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit will receive the additional rev enue. "'We want to make sure that people who qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit will receive that back in their tax refund," said Laura Elliott, mar keting specialist at Experiment in Self-Reliance. "They (low income working families) can potentially receive up to $4,000 back on their taxes, so we wanted ?to make sure anyone who is eligi ble for that knows about it and claims it on their taxes." According to Elliott, a lot of people do not know about the E1TC, and that's part of the rea son why millions of dollars go unclaimed every year when peo ple" are filing tax returns. This is extra income that Elliott feels will benefit everyone. "It's also good for the whole community. It ben [AIMIIVC IUI lilt IUIUIC if they didn't spend the money right away, so we encourage asset building," Elliott said. Sponsored by Forsyth Working Families Partnership, Building My Future is a collabo ration of several nonprofit organ izations working together through various grants. Some of those organizations are ESR, the Department of Social Servioes, and United Way. Wake Forest and Winston-Salem State Universities are also participants in the program. ?Among the 12 sites that" are offering the services are the Downtown Health Plaza and Goodwill Industries. The DHP is geared towacd the Latino/Hispanic community because of its availability of Spanish interpreters on site. ? Services will be available through tax season, but locations and tinws vary between now and April 15. For more information on locations of tax sites and oper ational hours, call First Line at J27-81 00 or United Way's 211 line. File Photo Floy Howie was a dedicated member of the Roundtable. She passed away earlier this month. Last week's forum was dedicated to her. File Photo Community activists hold signs advocating for vot ing machines that leave paper trails during a Board of Elections meeting. Seated are Kathie Chastain Cooper and BOE member Eric Elliott. Voter 1 1 1 u i ? i 1 -^jy^ paper trail ' a. , s P Group calls for black elections leader BY T. KEVIN WALKER THE CHRONICLE The Black Leadership Roundtabhe wants Forsyth County's next director of elec tions to be community-minded, capable and African- American. State Rep. Larry Womble, one of the Roundtable's most visible members, told a crowd of dozens at a* community forum last week that the Roundtable, a grassroots com munity advocacy organization, would do all it could to push for Forsyth County's first black elections director. "If we don't try. we are not going to get (an African American director)," Womble said. Womble and others are bet ting that a black elections leader would be more sensitive to the needs of the community in general and African Americans in particular. Kathie Chastain Cooper, the current director, will retire this week and then begin a new job as a regional director for -the State Board of Elections. Black community leaders and voting rights advocates have butted heads with Chastain Cooper during her 30 year tenure as elections direc tor. Chastain Cooper's relation ship with some people has been r so testy that several forum audi- ' ence members applauded when Womble announced Chastain Cooper's impending retirement. "We need someone there that is going to be sensitive to the concerns of the voting peo ple," Womble said. In recent years, some have accused Chastain Cooper of not doing all she could to ner and that some staffers in the elections office were rude and " ' 'ul. Sutton, the head of the Winston-Salem Voting Rights Coalition and the con vener of the Roundtable, said she can't remember when she has not had concerns about Chastain Cooper and her office. "We have always had to fight them," said Sutton, who recalled a brouhaha 20 years ago when she says encourage voting. ? Five years ago, Chastain Cooper argued against setting up additional early voting sites through out the county. Community groups said additional early voting sites would increase voter turnout in a critical presiden students at Winston Salem State University were turned away from registering to vote. "We have just had a lot of problems." Chastain Cooper denied that her rela tionship with some in the community has been con I f Elections meeting to complain about what they called citizens' lack of access to Board of Elections meetings. Among the com plaints were that minutes from board meetings were not being posted online in a timely man tentious over the years. She said problems have arisen when some have pushed for her office to get bogged dowp in partisan politics - something she says no elections office, should get wrapped up in. "You can't get involved in a political situation," she said. , Some have charged that Chastain Cooper, a registered Republican, has more closely aligned herself -with the only Republican member of the Board of Elections, John Redding. Chastain Cooper, though, said (politics has never come into play on her watch as director. "I feel the director's role is to express what is best for county citizens," she said. The county is currently advertising for the next direc tor. Chastain Cooper said she believes there are some on her staff who are qualified for the job. She said she did not know whether they would apply for the position. The African-American Caucus of the Forsyth County Democratic Party released a statement Tuesday saying that the job should not go to Laura Gerardi-Dell, the current deputy director. The statement says that Gerardi-Dell worked with Cooper to "make the BOE an unfriendly environment for African Americans voters." "The new leader of the BOE must have the trust and respect of all the people of Winston Salem and Forsyth County," the statement reads. Joan Cardwell, thf chairper son of the Forsyth County Board of Elections, said last week that the board would care fully consider each applicant before hiring^ Chastain Cooper's replacement. Cardwell, who is African American, had no comment when asked about the Roundtable's desire to have an African-American director. Chastain Cooper's retirement will become effective tomor row. Successful Aging: Step Into a Healthy Lifestyle This New Year Wake Forest University is conducting a research study that focuses on lifestyles for successful aging. The Cooperative Lifestyle Intervention ' Program (CLIP) is looking for participants between the ages of 60-79 y#ars who are overweight and are willing to join a healthy lifestyle change program for 1 8 months. If you qualify for the study, you will be assigned by chance to one of three intervention groups: Successful Roundtable from page A1 ~~~~ Leadership Roundtable also had a CAT-TV show, which the group used to publicize its projects and events. Half of the City Council - members Dan Besse, Joycelyn Johnson, Evelyn Terry and Nelson Malloy - was in the room when Allah made his remarks. After the meeting, Terry, who joined the council last month, said she has not given much thought to CAT TV because she is focused on economic development and jobs.*. Terry isn't alone. Several forum . speakers addressed their own concerns about jobs and economics. Developer William Brandon urged attendees to put their money where their mouths are by supporting black businesses "We need to make the play ing field level," he said. Other issues that were raised ran the gamut. One woman simply had a concern that the large waste bins that the city provides for residents who agree to bring their trash to the curb are much too heavy for senior citizens to maneuver. Natarshia Wolfe urged the Roundtable to take an active part in promoting abstinence programs in schools. Sexual education programs, she said, have been to the detriment of African- American youths. Someone else complained that there was a lack of eateries in East Winston where resi dents of the area could find healthy, nutritious meals. The more-than-two-hour forum Rrovided merely a venue ' for residents to sound off about issues that concern them. There was no debating of the issues and few answers were provid ed. Roundtable officials say many of the issues that were brought up will be hashed out thoroughly in a community issues workshop that could take place as early as March. "We heard your hurt, and we heard your pain," said Linda Sutton, the Roundtable 's convener. "And, trust me, we feel it." The forum was dedicated in memory of Floy Howie, an original member of the Roundtable who passed away earlier this month. Howie, who led the organization's educa tion committee, seldom missed Roundtable -meetings and events before she took ill sev eral years ago. State Rep. Larry Womble called her the "heart and soul of the Roundtable." Aging, Physical Activity, or Physical Activity/ Weight Loss. You will receive reimbursement for gas, regular mcdical tests at no cost to you, important information about your blood sugar, .blood pressure, level of body fat, and much more. Come join us for a new beginning! If interested or for more information, please call Christie Williams, at 336-758-3781. BG05-542 February One is a tribute to the four A&T freshmen who envisioned and began the lunch counter sit-in on February 1, 1960. Their non-violent, courageous act against social injustice inspired similar movements across the nation and is a defining moment in civil rights history. Stand up and be counted. Join a rich 115-year tradition of uncompromising excellence and unparalleled commitment. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2006 46th Sit-in I Keynote Speaker: Rev. Calvin Bum Abyssinian Baptist Church, NY - 6:30 a.m. Williams Cafeteria N.C. A&T State University Campus Contact: Dr. Judy Rashid 336.334.7791 Round Table Discussion Speakers: A&T Four - 3 p.m. Memorial Unlon-Stallings Ballroom N.C. A&T State University Campus Contact: Dr. Judy Rashid 336.334.7791 International Civil Rights Cantor A I Cjt.ln RanniiM III Speaker: Ambassador Andrew Young - 6 p.m. Koury Convention Center Four Seasons Hotel - Guilford Ballroom For more info: 336.274.9199 Dr. Comal Waal Lactam co-spanncd by N.C A&T Honors ProgM^HKident Government "Think Tank,**^^^ February 3 at 7 p m. N.C. A&T Alumnf-Foundation Event Center For more info: 336.256.20s8