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June 26, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels April 15, 2004 A taxing day for procrastinators By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings If modern technology lets you down, your hand and a black marker can do the trick. When Southern Oregon University sophomore Skat Steussy discovered his cell phone, which he uses as a planner, was not working, he used a marker on his left-hand to remind him to get his taxes done on Wednesday. Chris DeFrisco of Ashland stands in line Wednesday afternoon at the Rite Aid postal annex waiting to mail his tax returns. Denise Baratta | Ashland Daily Tidings "It's the closest thing I could think of to use to remember," he said. "I could write it on my forehead, but that would be weird." Today, millions of Americans like Steussy are scrambling before the clock hits midnight and their taxes are due to the Internal Revenue Service. At the accounting offices of Ashland CPA Rick Nagel, he and a staff of five have been bombarded in the last week with people bringing in their taxes, or who need help filing an extension. "People are just dropping them off at the front desk in large numbers," Nagel said. "We have been working on tax returns like crazy. For us, it's unusual. Most people usually drop-off or meet with me by April 1." While Nagel is not certain of the exact reasons for the steady stream of latecomers, he feels the statewide Measure 30 tax ballot discouraged many people from turning in their taxes in January. Because it was unknown if the tax measure would pass or fail, the state encouraged accountants to wait to do state income taxes until the vote was completed in early February. The measure eventually failed. But to the relief of Nagel and his staff, the end of business today will conclude another tax season. When all is said and done, Nagel will continue his annual tradition and take everyone out for a nice, relaxing dinner. At Southern Oregon University, students were lining-up at the computer lab in Central Hall to have accounting students do their taxes for free. Accounting students have been keeping regular hours since February, offering their services while learning their chosen careers. Those seeking tax help had been going quite slowly until this week, when a steady flow of last-minute cases started coming in, sophomore accounting major Jenny Whitmore said. "People started to realize they need to get their taxes in before the 15th," she said. "But it's typical. At the beginning it's slow, and it picks up right before the 15th." Students are quite grateful for the assistance, Whitmore said. "A lot of people come in and said 'thank you so much' because they don't have to stress out as much," she said. One of those students was Steussy. It was his first year he needed to do taxes. "It went pretty well," he said. "Apparently, I don't get any money back, but I don't owe anything. I think that makes it a good tax year." Steussy likes having a fellow student help him prepare his taxes. "It's people helping people," he said. "She's getting credit and since I have no clue what I'm doing, it helps me to have someone go through all this with me step-by-step." DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams