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Tax help could still happen in Sun City

CAN officials hoping for in-person service

Posted 10/24/20

When the new year comes, the Sun City Community Assistance Network cadre of volunteers needed to help prepare income tax filings are ready to go.

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News

Tax help could still happen in Sun City

CAN officials hoping for in-person service

Posted

When the new year comes, the Sun City Community Assistance Network cadre of volunteers needed to help prepare income tax filings are ready to go.

Whether they will be able to help residents in person is undetermined.

The AARP Tax-Aide program was halted abruptly earlier in the spring for the 2019 tax year filings because of the coronavirus pandemic. Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s “stay-at-home” order, the Maricopa County mask mandate and social distancing guidelines, all of which follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lead, meant the service could not continue in person. With no contingency plan in place, it came to a screeching halt.

For the 2020 tax year, Sun City CAN volunteers are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help residents with income tax filings, according to Jim Graff, Sun City AARP Tax-Aide coordinator.

“Our goal is to open the traditional service, but Maricopa County is still listed in the epidemic stage,” he said. “As long as that is the case, we can’t open in-person services.”

However, he and AARP officials are researching options to in-person service, including having clients wait in cars outside the Sun City CAN office, 10195 W. Coggins Drive, while their returns are completed by volunteers inside, or some type of remote service.

To prepare for any option, Mr. Graff plans to conduct volunteer training beginning in January as usual.

His efforts drew praise from Peter Lee, Sun City CAN board member.

“Jim is doing a great job of keeping the volunteers up to date on the situation,” he said.

CAN officials are maintaining many other community assistance services despite facing some challenges.

One hurdle is financial. Mr. Graff, who is also a CAN board member and treasurer, said the organization this year has seen a significant drop in donations, which represent the bulk of its income.

“Usually, we take in between $106,000 and $132,000 in donations in a year,” he explained. “Through three quarters of this year, we’ve taken in about $40,000.”

Mr. Graff is hopeful the final quarter of the year will bring in enough to make up the difference. CAN officials are preparing for their annual letter fundraising campaign, with donation requests to be sent out Monday, Nov. 2, according to Hugh Duncan, Sun City CAN board president. Historically, CAN officials send donation requests to those who have given in the previous year. But that number is shrinking, according to Mr. Duncan.

“A few years ago we had 1,500; now we’re down to about 1,000,” he said.

Another obstacle is volunteer staff, according to Lynn Rode, Sun City CAN executive director. Through its benefits assistance counseling program, CAN staff helps residents with Medicare questions and, during the open enrollment period, signing them up for the health insurance program. But because of the COVID pandemic they are down two volunteers who likely will not return, according to Ms. Rode.

To volunteer for this or other CAN duties, call 623-933-7530.

CAN officials did apply, and receive, grants from Arizona Public Service $3,500 for bill assistance, and EPCOR Water Co., $7,500 for condo water rebates. They also applied for a $1,000 grant from Shepherd of the Desert Lutheran Church, 11025 N. 111th Ave., for the CAN Paint the Town program.

The CAN Crisis Assistance program continues to receive calls from residents, according to board member Tom Scott. There were 372 calls for assistance through the program by the end of September. APS bill assistance topped the list with 95 while there were 69 calls for Medicare and Social Security help.

That program is well funded with $12,000, with an additional $19,000 secured by Ms. Rode.