At tax time, county board helps give seniors a break

While other Anoka County commissioners direct seniors seeking homeowner's and renter's tax credits, Jim Kordiak actually helps them complete the forms -- a thousand each year, done for free and with little fanfare.

"I'll greet seniors and tell them which line they should be in and I'll wait with them," said Commissioner Scott LeDoux. "But Jim Kordiak does their property tax forms. He takes a nice gesture by the county to another level."

Kordiak is a "tax guy" by trade, notes fellow Commissioner Dick Lang. Many of the county's seniors and people with disabilities don't file tax returns with Kordiak's Income Tax Service Company or any other accountant.

But come April 17, when Kordiak opens his doors to seniors and disabled residents interested in completing homeowner's or renter's tax-credit forms, crowds are expected to line up, awaiting his arrival.

The free service is provided at designated sites throughout the county and all seven commissioners participate. But Kordiak often calculates the numbers himself, or with his staff, right at his business office.

"I don't know how we came into contact with him, but I'm grateful that we did," said Ray Schueller, 77, of Fridley. "We bring in the forms and he sits down with us, and in 20 minutes he's determined whether or not we're going to get a rebate. He's generous with his time."

Said Helen Winters, 90, of Columbia Heights: "He used to always do my taxes, which I don't have to do anymore, and now he does my rebate. It's all free. It's a nice gesture."

Free service

Commissioners have been providing the service for decades, said Lang, in his fifth term as commissioner. But few commissioners have matched Kordiak's tax expertise -- a gift, Lang says, Kordiak is always willing to share with seniors in his district.

Kordiak prefers to discuss "the county's gracious gesture," rather than his personal contributions to seniors filing property tax forms.

"There are millions of Americans who don't file a tax return because they're retired or disabled," Kordiak said. "They could be your grandmother, living on Social Security, with a little bit of a pension."

When people in his district come to Lang, seeking tax assistance, "I give them rides, or I welcome them at the door," Lang said. "When they come to Kordiak, he rolls up his sleeves."

Seniors living in Anoka County can expect a letter later this month reminding them of the county's open program, and that they are eligible for rebates.

If some of them can't get to Kordiak's office or one of the city halls, American Legion posts or other sites where the property taxes are done, Kordiak has occasionally made house calls.

"I do a ton of these homeowner's and renter's forms for seniors and the disabled," Kordiak says. "I don't do income taxes for free, but I'm happy that the county has this program and I can do these free of charge."

"I'll open my doors the day the county service starts and the people will be standing there waiting for me. It will be that way for weeks. That's fine. It's to everyone's benefit."

Paul Levy • 612-673-4419