Washington. DC-At a press conference at her 8th annual Tax Fair, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton today announced that her Southeast office at 2041 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE, Suite 246, has become a certified income tax preparation office for the entire tax season, until April 15, 2008. At the fair, which prepared taxes for 535 residents, breaking all records, she introduced Jackie Pelt, a tax expert and Internal Revenue Service retiree, who will prepare tax returns Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM. "Jackie is giving the priceless gift of her extraordinary expertise and background in tax matters to D.C. residents," Norton said. "We are particularly proud of this native Washingtonian and graduate of Ballou High School. We're grateful that her expertise has enabled our office to become a certified VITA site (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) to serve D.C. residents."

Norton also announced that the stimulus package that Congress passed Thursday will bring $200 million to 200,000 D.C. households, averaging $1,000 a household. "To be candid," Norton said, "the money is not a matter of government largess or newfound generosity. ‘It's the economy, stupid,' the government's attempt to keep the economic downturn from becoming even more serious. Spend your rebates, and if at all possible, spend it in D.C!" Norton said that the Treasury has announced that rebate checks should be received 60 days after the President signs the bill next week.

Norton also invited two students from Trinity College, Tina Price and Marie Smith, to participate in a dramatization to highlight millions of dollars in sometimes-obscure tax credits that many residents pass up. The students asked Anita Carter, an 18-year IRS employee, if they qualified for any tax credits and were told of two valuable educational credits that Norton believes most students here do not receive. Ms Carter told Tina Price that she qualified for the Hope Credit of up to $1,650, available only to first and second year, full and part-time students pursuing an undergraduate degree. Marie Smith qualified for the Lifetime Learning Credit of up to $2,000, available to all residents taking one or more courses to improve their job skills or to pursue undergraduate and graduate education.

Tax returns today were prepared by volunteers from the IRS and D.C. Office of Tax and Revenue, and by many other volunteer experts, who took a course and test to qualify as preparers. Credit unions also enrolled residents for full banking services, part of Norton's effort to encourage un-banked residents to start checking accounts with $5 a membership D.C. credit unions. Unity Health Care offered free HIV/AIDS testing, UDC and Howard Law School students screened taxpayers, and the D.C. Earned Income Tax Credit Campaign trained volunteers today.