The Nugget Newspaper - News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon

NeighborImpact volunteers spent last Wednesday and Thursday helping local folks file tax returns. The program was made possible through NeighborImpact's partnership with Oregon State University Extension Services BIT Mobile.

Through a software program called Complete Tax, individuals who make $40,000 or less are able to file their tax returns online free of charge. The BIT Mobile provides the wireless Internet terminals to make such filings possible.

Complete Tax is hosted at the Beehives Cascades Web site: http://www.beehivecascades.org. Those who make more than $40,000 are welcome to use the online filing service offered by the NeighborImpact/BIT Mobile partnership, although they are charged a nominal fee.

Getting the word out that NeighborImpact and the BIT Mobile are providing this service has been difficult according to Chloe Frommer, NeighborImpact's Media Events and Volunteer Specialist. Turnout in Sisters was much lower than organizers had hoped.

"There's a lot of people in the area that may not read the paper, or they may not be getting our services at this particular moment, but for some of the people that we've surveyed in the past, they want to get their refund back or they may have earned income tax credit," Frommer said.

The Complete Tax program takes people through a process of finding out whether or not they are eligible for earned income tax credit.

"The fact that they can file online, that we've got the wireless access, the fact that Complete Tax is based off of Turbo Tax and other well-used tax software, makes it (filing) very easily accessible. We know some of the clients have issues with their taxes - getting a tax refund back. For some of them ... we know that getting a tax refund back basically is a big deal," said Frommer.

According to BIT Mobile manager Todd Williver, Oregon State University Extension Service created the BIT Mobile almost three years ago.

"It's really a mobile technology platform meant to bring basic technology instruction to the Central Oregon area," Williver said.

When it was introduced, Central Oregon's BIT Mobile was the only mobile technology unit in the nation.

"Since then we've built a second one that went to Nebraska State University. It's a self-contained trailer that has a satellite Internet connection, 15 laptop work stations, Nikon digital cameras, GPS (Global Positioning System) units, and it's meant just to teach technology to people who have sort of missed the information super highway," Williver said.

The BIT Mobile services Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties.

Normally, Williver brings the BIT Mobile to Sisters about once a month to teach computer and Internet usage classes that are scheduled through the library. He parks the BIT Mobile in the library and city hall parking lot at the corner of Cascade Avenue and Cedar Street.

"On Tuesday (March 13) we did a digital photography class and a basic Internet class. The chances are next time I come back the natural progression would be the Advanced Internet class ... and maybe they'll do the GPS class. The photography class gets a big following, so we may do it," said Williver.

All classes Williver teaches are free of charge and are funded through tax dollars collected for the Land Grant Extension of Oregon State University. From time to time especially during the summer, classes are offered for children. Williver commented that he will do the GPS class for kids several times this summer.

According to Williver, the online tax filing program is the first time the BIT Mobile has partnered with another organization to provide community outreach.

"NeighborImpact got in touch with me in January and said we've got this community-minded program that we want to try to get out. 'Can you help us do it?' I said, you bet. That fits the role of the BIT Mobile trying to service the community and show people what's available regarding technology," Williver said.

The libraries are also part of the partnership, helping with both scheduling and advertising and providing a site for the BIT Mobile to park. For those who did not file their tax returns when the BIT Mobile was in Sisters, the program will be available in Redmond on March 21-22, in Prineville on March 28-29, in Madras on April 4- 5 and in La Pine on April 11-12.

For times contact the local library or visit http://www.neighborimpact.org and click on events.