PA Property Tax or Rent Rebate Help Available on March 7

A member of Senator John Pippy’s staff will be providing assistance to individuals completing their Pennsylvania Property Tax or Rent Rebate Application at Peters Township Public Library. Pippy staff member, Sharon DeNardo, will be at the library on Monday, March 7 from 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. Individual sessions will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applicants should have proof of all income received in tax year 2010, including social security or railroad retirement benefits, pensions, annuities, interest and dividend income. Applicants applying for the first time must provide proof of age and proof of disability if appropriate. If the applicant received the PA 1000 application in the mail, they should bring the application with them. Home owners must provide proof that all real estate taxes were paid for the 2010 tax year and renters must have a completed rent certificate if possible, or proof of rent paid.

For questions, please call Sharon DeNardo at 412-262-2260.

Tom Atkins as "THE CHIEF"!

Veteran actor of the stage, screen and TV, Tom Atkins, will discuss his 44-year career in the theater and his preparation for the role of his lifetime portraying Art Rooney Sr. at the Peters Township Public Library on Tuesday, February 22 at 7:00 p.m. Register for this program online or call 724-941-9430.

Mr. Atkins will perform one of the stories from “The Chief,” the one-man stage triumph about Rooney Sr., the legendary founding owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise. Audience members will then watch the part of the newly-released DVD, “The Chief,” including the story Atkins related. A question and answer session will follow the DVD viewing.

"The Gallery": A Photographic Exhibit by Peters Township High School Students

The Peters Township High School Photography Classes will exhibit their work in the main lobby of the Peters Township Public Library from February 24 through March 10 during library hours. "The Gallery" is a display of hundreds of student photographs from the classes and club at the high school. An opening reception will be held on Thursday, February 24 from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend.

Over 100 students contributed work for this exciting event. The Photography Club officers are: Chrisi Fagella, Jillian Eby, Jessica Kleja, Allie Schlafman, and Sean Sickmund. For more information about “The Gallery,” email the club sponsor, Erin Boni.

Planning for Profits Seminar Series

Managing Employees? Understanding Financial Statements? Marketing Extraordinaire? Business Strategy Formation? When starting your small business you probably didn’t realize you were signing up to be CEO, CFO, CMO and COO all at once!

The Peters Township Public Library, the University of Pittsburgh Small Business Development Center, and PNC Bank want to help you manage all of the hats you wear with a special seminar series, “Planning for Profits.” This four–part program will help you look at your business from all angles.

Seminar One: February 24 - Marketing: Defining your customers, including targeting your customers and communications.
Seminar Two: March 24 - Financials: Understanding the financial condition of your business including cash flow planning and forecasting.
Seminar Three: April 21 - Operations: Understanding your operations including human resources and management control.
Seminar Four: May 26 - Strategy: How to position for future growth including strategic control and management control systems.

All programs are from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at the library, with a cost of $30 per seminar or $100 for all four seminars. Register for this program by emailing lbiddle@katz.pitt.edu with your name and contact phone number. You may also register by calling 724-229-8078.

Is Your Home Healthy?

Are there unhealthy, toxic materials lurking in your kitchen, bathroom, and children’s rooms? Are your vet bills high because your animals keep getting sick? It could be a reaction to products you have in your home. Find out how easy it is to have a natural, healthy home for your family by attending “Is Your Home Healthy?” at the Peters Township Public Library on Saturday, February 12 from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. Register to attend this free program by emailing the library or call 724.941.9430. This is a Peters Township Public Library GO Green Club program.

Local radio host Faith Starr will use all the diverse components of her comprehensive background to offer valid, usable tips for living a healthy, organic, and green lifestyle. She will share her knowledge about where to obtain healthy food in Western Pa - without breaking the bank. She is passionate about helping you find the hidden toxins in your own home environment. Faith Starr is in her fourth year of talk radio and is the host of "Living Green with Faith," which can be heard on Wednesday afternoons at 3:00 p.m. on 620 AM WKHB radio on WKHB in Pittsburgh.

Panelists from U.S. Army War College to discuss threats to National Security throughout the World

President Obama announced the official end of the United States combat mission in Iraq this past August, yet viable threats to national security still exist across the world. From the recent package bombing attempts, to piracy in the Gulf of Aden, to the drug wars in Latin America, to the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan, national security is still of utmost concern to the current administration.

Visiting panelists from the Eisenhower Series College Program will share personal views based on their own experience, research, and reflection at the Peters Township Public Library on Tuesday, February 15 at 7:00 p.m. The panelists include: Captain William G. Davis, Director of National Security Studies and the Eisenhower Program; Colonel Eric Tilley, who will speak about the United States' role in NATO; and Lieutenant Colonel Harrison B. Gilliam, who will discuss Afghanistan Policy. Register for this program by emailing the library, at the library circulation desk, or call 724.941.9430. The McMurray Veterans of Foreign Wars POST 764 is providing support for the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh 2010-2011 program series.

The Eisenhower Series College Program was established in 1996 as a War College academic outreach program. It encourages dialogue on national security and other public policy issues between students of the Army’s senior educational institution and the public. Each panel member focuses on his/her study on a geographic region such as Europe, Russia/Eurasia, Asia, the Americas, Middle East, and Africa. To learn more about the Eisenhower Series College Program, visit their web site.

New Service for 2011 - AARP Tax Assistance

In partnership with the AARP, tax assistance will be available at the library on Mondays and Tuesdays beginning Monday, February 7, 2011. AARP Tax-Aide will provide this free service to help low and moderate income taxpayers who are age 60 years and older.

You must visit the library in person to schedule an appointment for the month of February. The March appointment calendar will be released in February. Appointments are one hour long and begin at 9:15 a.m., with the last scheduled appointment for the day at 3:45 p.m. At the time of registration, the library will provide you a copy of the list of items you will need to bring when you arrive for your personal tax preparation session.

The list below includes the forms that are eligible for preparation by AARP TAX-AIDE consultants assigned to Peters Township Public Library:
*1040 with Schedules A, B, and D
*Schedule C up to $10,000 expenses/C-EZ up to $5,000 expenses (Schedule C has same requirements for CEZ – no employees, no inventory, no losses or depreciation etc.)
*Schedule EIC and EIC Worksheets
*1099 Misc. (box 7 nonemployee compensation is reported on Schedule C/CEZ)
*1099 Misc (box 1 or 2 – rents, royalties, reported on Schedule E with no expenses, depreciation)
*1099 Misc (box 3 other income is reported on 1040 Line 21)
*1040 – ES (Estimated Payments)
*2441 (Child and Dependent Care)
*5329 Additional Taxes on Qualified Plans, Part 1
*8283, Section A, Part 1 – non-cash contributions to charity exceed $500.00 but less than $5,000
*8606 (Nondeductible IRA) Part 1
*8880 (Qualified Savings Credit)
*8812 (Additional Child Tax Credit)
*8863 (Education Credits)
*9465 (Installment Agreement)
*8379 (Injured Spouse)
*1040X (Amended Returns, if trained in the tax year being amended)
*Schedule K – 1 that provides information only for interest, dividends and capital gain distributions and royalties (Schedule B, D, E)

Please bring the following items with you when you come for your scheduled appointment at Peters Township Public Library:
• Current year’s tax forms and preparation booklet
• Copy of last year’s income tax return
• W-2 forms from each employer
• Unemployment compensation statements
• SSA-1099 form if you were paid Social Security benefits
• All 1099 forms (1099-INT, 1099-DIV, 1099-B, etc.) showing interest and/or dividends and documentation showing original purchase price of sold assets
• 1099-misc. showing any miscellaneous income
• 1099-R form if you received a pension or annuity
• All forms indicating federal income tax paid
• Dependent care provider information (name, employer ID, Social Security number)
• All receipts or canceled checks if itemizing deductions
• Social Security cards or other official documentation for yourself and all dependents

For further information, please call the library at 724.941.9430.