Estamos alegre de anunciar que Carrboro Commons de ahora en adelante le ofrece las traducciones españoles de nuestros articulos para servir la poblacion latina. Para verlas, opriman “En Español” a lado derecho de la pagina.

The Carrboro Commons is proud to announce that it will now offer Spanish translations of stories that may interest the local Latino population. Click the links to the Spanish language stories below, or use the “En
Español” link on the right side of the page.

La sequía rompe la barrera lingüística
Carrboro ofrece ayuda con impuestos a Latinos
Tutorando en inglés para hacer la diferencia
El programa de doble idioma podría extender
Carrboro: “no” a un campo de fútbol de $1.62 millón

By Leah Szarek
Carrboro Commons Writer

A confusing stack of forms laced with nonsensical terms like W1040EZ descends on mailboxes across the country each year. The tricky federal and state income tax paperwork can be enough to send even native citizens running to professional tax preparers and computer software. For recent immigrants with the added barrier of language, the race to April 15 can seem even more daunting.

Lady Liberty and Keith Crossland greet clients at the Liberty Tax Service office on Jones Ferry Road. Crossland, a veteran tax preparer, works with several bilingual colleagues to help local Spanish-speakers file their taxes.
Staff photo by Leah Szarek

The demand for bilingual tax help is particularly high among the burgeoning Latino population in Carrboro. Augusto Pasco, 21, commutes from Raleigh each weekday to operate the Latin American Tax desk in the offices of El Centro Latino on West Main Street. The New Jersey transplant said the Raleigh-based firm needed him in the field almost immediately after they hired him a year ago.

“Most people train for at least a week,” Pasco said. “I had two days, Saturday and Sunday, and then I was working with clients on Monday. The need was that great.”

Pasco said he has served more than 100 local clients since January. Many of his clients are noncitizens who are not eligible for social security numbers. These clients must file for tax identification numbers, which are provided to foreign-born residents regardless of legal status. Pasco said filers must present some form of photo identification issued by the United States or their home country. He said the process takes about a month.

These numbers are not shared with immigration authorities or used to identify people who may have entered the country illegally. But Nanette Efird, owner of Liberty Tax Service franchises in Cary and on Jones Ferry Road in Carrboro, said many potential filers remain hesitant to take advantage of this option.

“I think there is a lot of fear,” she said. “We have to work to build trust.”

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