PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Earlier this month, ACORN (The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) protested the practices of the tax preparation company Liberty Tax. ACORN members charged the tax preparer with taking hundreds of millions of dollars from low-income communities through their "Refund Anticipation Loans".

The Allegheny County chapter of ACORN reports that their protest at the Liberty Tax office in the Bellevue suburb of Pittsburgh was a success. Protesters briefly occupied the store, chanting "Liberty Tax Charges a Fee- ACORN Will Do it for Free". The action ended with no arrests and one citation.

ACORN has been campaigning against the practices of tax preparation companies for over a year. In January, the group reached an agreement with the largest tax-preparer, H&R Block to eliminate some administrative fees, improve disclosures, and offer customers the lowest cost option first. ACORN is currently in negotiations with Jackson Hewitt, the second largest tax-preparer.

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