PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 30, 2001 Filing Season Success in the District As Deadline Approaches WASHINGTON, DC - Record numbers of District taxpayers are filing electronically this tax season, resulting in faster processing and quicker refunds. With 18 days left before the April 16 deadline, the Office of Tax and Revenue's (OTR) Returns Processing Administration reports that nearly 108,000 taxpayers already have filed Individual Income Tax Returns. Of those, 25,000 filed using e-file software systems, while Telefile saw a 66 percent increase over last year's filings. Taxpayers are especially pleased with OTR's speedy delivery of income tax refunds. Refunds this year are issued in an average of five days for electronic returns, and 10 to 15 days for paper returns. "We are reaching and exceeding our goals, by employing cutting edge technology and demanding the highest level of performance in our operations," said Deputy Chief Financial Officer Herbert J. Huff. "All of these advancements translate into consistently better customer service." The average refund this year is $489.52, a $30 increase over last year's average. The city's newest tax relief program, the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), also has generated tremendous response, with more than 30,000 filers seeking the credit. Thirty-three percent of EITC taxpayers filed electronically, as compared to 20,000 (67%) paper filers. In all, OTR has processed over $4 million in EITC credits to date, or $186 per refund. "Our success with EITC shows our level of improvement over the past few years, as well as our commitment to serving taxpayers," said Richard Sella, Director of Returns Processing Administration. "We've worked extremely hard to make all our services user-friendly, while ensuring that our data processing remains efficient and accurate." Next year, the EITC will jump to a new level at 25% of the federal credit - a move that is sure to surpass even this year's high level of public interest.