by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
The City announced a broad partnership this week designed to increase awareness of tax credits that could return millions to some of Jacksonville’s neediest families.
Mayor John Peyton joined City Council member Suzanne Jenkins and former sheriff Nat Glover to kick off the City’s Prosperity Campaign. The City will partner with a consortium of private companies dubbed “Real Sense” to help qualifying taxpayers claim an Earned Income Tax credit worth thousands. The partners in Real Sense said they have identified about $10 million in federal tax credits to which many low income residents are entitled but often don’t claim.
Glover said the credit could return more than $4,000 to a married couple with two children who earn under $33,692.
“It makes sense to find out whether you could qualify for a refund. It could make a big difference in you life,” said Glover.
The campaign will provide eight locations for tax preparation. In addition to receiving instructions on how to claim the credits, participants will also receive financial training in how to best invest their return to improve their financial stability.
If the funds are put to good use, they could improve the City’s financial outlook as well, said Jenkins.
“The community benefits, too. When more people are doing well, there is more money in the economy. That money can help the whole city grow.”
At the press conference to announce the campaign, the audience heard from Mary Jordan, a local woman who used the refund to help secure a home for her family. The City would like to hear more stories like Jordan’s in the coming months said Peyton.
“We’d like to hear hundreds of individuals with testimonies just like Mary Jordan’s,” he said.