Tax burden

Monday, April 17, 2000 | 11:11 a.m.

TAX HELP

IRS agents are offering help until 7 tonight at 4750 W. Oakey Blvd., near Decatur Boulevard. Returns must be postmarked by midnight tonight. The main post office at 1001 E. Sunset Road is open until midnight to accept completed forms.

Like ants visiting a picnic, a steady stream of visitors poured into the Internal Revenue Service building on Oakey Boulevard over the weekend.

The visitors looked for last-minute advice on vexing tax problems, tax forms and even somebody to fill out the form for them.

Today the stream turned into a flood as taxpayers struggled to fulfill their yearly duty.

Jeanne Hinners, a customer service specialist and 19-year veteran at the Las Vegas office, said years ago the office saw far fewer people in need. But as the Las Vegas Valley's population grows by 6,000 people a month, so does the demand for assistance.

"As the population grows, we get busier and busier," she said. Last year, the office assisted 14,500 people in the last four days before federal income taxes came due -- and Hinners said they expect more traffic this year.

"We're the busiest walk-in office in the Southwest district," which includes Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico, Hinners said.

Nationally the numbers are up as well. By April 9, 1999, the IRS has processed 76.7 million individual income tax returns. By April 7 of this year, the tax service had processed 77.2 million.

The IRS chalks up some of that increase to the growing popularity of electronic filing via the Internet, which has grown more than 17 percent since last year. Nearly 30.7 million people have sent their tax information to the federal government through the Internet this year.

Still, many people rely on a visit to the IRS offices for assistance.

The McAndrew family -- including a future tax deduction, 2-month-old Sophia -- were down at the office Friday looking for an earnings statement in order to get a mortgage for a first house.

"It was very efficient," Sharmaine McAndrew said. "We were in and out within 10 minutes at most."

Other visitors -- some with a touch of amazement in their voices -- echoed the McAndrews.

"This is the second time we've come here," said Alex Rapon, who made the long drive from Henderson for help with his return. He and his wife, Maricela Rapon, said getting the assistance took a few minutes.

The Rapons went inside the building for help, but some folks didn't need to get out of the car. IRS employees were dispersed throughout the office building, the front door, at the back loading dock, in the parking lot and at the drive into the center.

The idea, Hinners said, is to get the form or the assistance to people as quickly as possible. That's the only way to avoid total gridlock, she said.

Hinners pointed to the waiting area at the assistance center. A handful of the two-dozen chairs were unoccupied.

Without catching the taxpayers driving in, everybody would be in the same room.

"It would be standing room only," Hinners said.

A few years ago that might have been the case. But the IRS -- stung by congressional criticism -- is trying to put a kinder, gentler foot forward.

The agency "is more customer-oriented than collection-oriented," Hinners said.

The employees working inside and outside the IRS building strove to courteously direct taxpayers to the right person, desk or doorway. They seemed to take the hive of activity in stride, despite the 12-hour workdays that come before Tax Day.

Kevin Shand, a "taxpayers' advocate," said this time of year is his favorite, despite the long workdays.

Instead of auditing people, he's able to help them get information straight, Shand said. Shand estimated that he has helped people fill out about 200 tax returns.

"We're just trying to help as many people as possible," he said.

Those who have questions, need forms or other assistance can still find Shand and his colleagues hard at work today.

Because April 15, the usual Tax Day, fell on a Saturday this year, taxpayers got an extra two days to get their returns in -- through cyberspace, dropped off at the IRS office or at a post office.

Unless you file for a four-month extension, the final day to get the return back is today. The IRS office, at the northeast corner of Oakey and Decatur boulevards, will be open until 7 p.m.

Launce Rake covers growth issues for the Sun. He can be reached at (702) 259-4127 or by e-mail at lrake@lasvegassun.com.

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