Taxpayers Race To Make Deadline For Filing Returns

Tue., April 18, 1995

Gita Sitaramiah Staff writer

One woman’s federal tax return made the Monday postmark deadline thanks to Rick Armstrong.

After the woman handed Armstrong an envelope with no stamp at NorthTown Mall’s special mail collection Monday night, Armstrong noticed her mistake and raced after her.

The U.S. postal worker sprinted across the lot waving the envelope in the air, hoping to get her attention.

She drove off, but the envelope will arrive at the IRS postmarked Monday anyway.

“I couldn’t catch her so I’ll pay for the stamp myself,” he said. “I’d hate to see it returned and past deadline.”

Armstrong was among several postal workers at five Spokane sites Monday night helping collect tax returns headed for the Internal Revenue Service.

One postal worker said the lastminute crowd was light, perhaps because some people took advantage of the deadline extension this year to mail their returns over the weekend.

“I expected a little bit more, but I expect some people took advantage of the extra two days,” said Fred Chapman, who also helped collect mail at NorthTown.

Volunteers helped senior citizens, non-English speakers and people with low incomes fill out their tax returns at the collection points.

Area radio stations broadcast live from the sites. Motorists drove quickly through the collection areas, greeted by postal workers such as Mike Hiskett at Cannon and Garland.

“It’s always for somebody else,” Hiskett said the drivers tell him.

Richard Crowder, 41, of Colbert, applauded the postal workers for their efforts Monday.

“I think it’s cool,” he said. “It’s nice of them to be here for people like me.”

Crowder said he mailed his return at the last moment because he didn’t want to pay the IRS any sooner than necessary.

“I just didn’t want to write them a check until I simply had to,” he said.

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