If you’ve been following the Republican presidential race, you might think that the only tax breaks in America are for guys named Mitt who get to park their cash in Swiss banks and the Cayman Islands.Fortunately, there’s also a tax relief program for low-income workers who actually deserve a break. It’s called the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and for years 1199 has been providing free tax-prep services to members who meet the EITC income qualification.“It’s an amazing program,” said Vondray Little, a Baltimore 1199er who used the union’s EITC tax-prep service for the first time last week.“I just got back $1,177,” said Little. “They did my taxes for free, and with direct deposit I should have the money in my account by February 9th.”Little, an environmental services worker at Johns Hopkins Hospital, said he used “rapid refund” services in the past, but they charged him $200-300. Then, earlier this year, a co-worker at Hopkins told him about the free 1199 program.“To be honest, it sounded too good to be true,” Little said. But he got in touch with his 1199 organizer at Hopkins, who explained how the program works and got him the information he needed to sign up.“I woke up and smelled the coffee,” Little said. “And now, well, it’s like a McDonald’s commercial: I’m lovin’ it.”And there’s a lot of love to go around. Last year, in Baltimore alone, the union’s free tax prep service helped secure roughly $1.5 million in refunds for 600 people, including both 1199 members and local residents the union reached out to in partnership with the Baltimore CASH Campaign, a local nonprofit.Sherl Commodore, the administrator of 1199’s tax service in Baltimore, expects the union will help even more people this year, noting that the number of tax filers served has increased every year the program has been offered.Despite the increasing demand for the free service, Little said his appointment went extremely smoothly. “I was in and out in a half hour,” Little said. “In the other places, it’s like going to the doctor’s office. You’ve got to wait and wait and you’re not necessarily going to like the results.”To learn more about the union’s free EITC tax-prep service, contact an organizer or your local 1199SEIU office.- See more at: http://www.1199seiu.org/it_s_that_time_of_year_again_the_tax_break_for_people_who_deserve_one#sthash.gBD8Drzp.dpuf