“Anytime we can return money to the residents of District 5, that’s good,” said Supervisor Federal Glover. “Tax refunds can act as our own economic stimulus.”

A report presented Jan. 25 to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors stated that communities such as Pittsburg could get an infusion of about $6 million in refunds.

To help people with their income tax forms, five Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites will be available for all East Contra Costa County residents in order to raise awareness for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC).

Every year, California fails to claim more than $1.2 billion EITC dollars that can contribute to increased economic activity and the creation of thousands of jobs.

There is also the I-CAN program, a do-it-yourself software program that low-income taxpayers can use for free.

A study entitled Left on the Table in Contra Costa County, commissioned by the Family Economic Security Partnership and prepared by Dr. Antonio Avalos of the California State University in Fresno, estimated that Contra Costa County residents claimed more than $77 million in EITC payments in 2007.

However, the study also found that approximately 16,000 eligible Contra Costa County residents failed to claim close to $20 million in EITC refunds in 2007.

All of the information about the sites in Contra Costa County can be found at the website, www.earnitkeepitsaveit.org.

The following are VITA locations:

ANTIOCH

• Antioch Senior Center

415 W. Second St., 925-778-1158

• Opportunity Junction

3102 Delta Fair Blvd., 925-776-1133

• East Bay Works Career Center

4545 Delta Fair Blvd., 925-706-4830

• Brighter Beginnings

418 W. Fourth St., 925-427-8516

BAY POINT

• Bay Point Works

3105 Willow Pass Road #3, 925-252-2332

PITTSBURG

• Pittsburg Senior Center

300 Presidio Ave., 925-252-4890