NEVADA \ JACKPOTS

Recouping wins is serious business

A FEW weeks ago, upon returning from Reno, I reported
that it was completely, definitely and absolutely inpossible
for a Canadian to get.a refund on the 30 per cent tax
withheld by the U.S. government on slot machine winnings.

Then I received a letter froin a
North Shore reader explaining that
with the help of a tax form,
available at the consulate, the gov-
ernment gladly handed the money
back.

I printed the letter, after check-
ing its authenticity with the North
Shore accounting service that
prepared the forms. I urged
everyone to get cracking and apply
for a refund. -

He explained that his office has
been successful in applying for re-
funds — not of the entire 30 per
cent but for 15 per cent.

According to Mr. Bennett the
treaty has a loophole — it covers
only the 15 per cent originally
withheld, not the recent 15 per cent
increase.

He has dealt directly with the
IRS Seattle office and has suc-
cessfully filed claims for $8,000

travel
wise

by Barbara McCreadie

Then, 1 received a call from
Patrick Brennan, a U.S. consular
official who explained that prior to
1985, Canadians could get the tax
(then 15 per cent) back. ©

A treaty between Canada and
the U.S. in 1984 became effective
Dec. 31,
we got the opportunity to assist the
U.S. with their financial problems.

The forms I quoted are for the
use of U.S. citizens only.
Moreover, the lucky North Shore
residents who received a refund did
so illegally.

Mr. Brennan suggested that the
application slipped through the
IRS office in Philadelphia in error.
_ I was ready to call a halt to this
jackpot tax business with a column
headed, ‘Forget it’’.

But, the plot ‘thickens (and
probably, it was a dark and stormy

night, too): Yesterday I had «a:

. phone call from Rick Bennett who
works for H & R Block at 339
West Hastings in Vancouver.

1985, and at that point -

say | was ready for dinner is an
understatement.

Delta has had a lot of well-
publicized problems since they
combined (bought out) Western
Airlines. In fact, } doubt if any
airline has ever struggled through a
worse batch of bad news.

Last week I flew Delta again —
to Washington D.C. and home
from New York (took Amtrak be-
tween the two cities).

On the way to Washington, I
had the good fortune to be seated
next to a former U.S. Air Force
pilot who began to point out all
the improvements the airline had
made over the past few months.

The most interesting to me was a

much longer pause before take-
off. The pilot pointed out that
“everything is being double-check-
ed’? which is highly reassuring to a
white-knuckle flier like me.

Service is vastly improved. The
meals — and there were the regu-
lation number — were airline fare
but after one dinner, lovely trays
of assorted fruit as well as cheese
and crackers were offered.

The pilots regularly informed

m. the passengers about points of in-

(took him two years, but finally!)
and for $25,000, which should
have made some gambler mighty
happy.

Now, I hope that this is the end
of the exciting story on tax re-
funds. Should I ever be so lucky
and hit the big jackpot I thiak I’d
forget trying to retrieve the 30 per
cent — by now, the IRS in
Philadelphia must be screening

‘forms a bit more carefully — and

hand Rick Bennett the job of pry-
ing the 15 per cent loose.

- a6

In’ the last two months I’ve .

made four flights on Delta
Airlines. The first two were to and
from the American Midwest. Star-
ting here at nine in the morning i
finally arrived in Fargo, North
Dakota in the late afternoon.
During the entire day, the only
food presented to the passengers
consisted of bags of peanuts. To

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torical details. This, too, is very
Teassuring. I always fee! thaz if the
pilot is relaxed enough to give us a
briefing, he’s not fighting any
emergency on the flight deck.

Every flight left and arrived on
time — exactly. But, here is a
miracle: Upon arriving home and
clearing customs my bag was sit-
ting on the carousel. It had actual-
ly arrived before I did!

37- Sanday, October 4, 1987 — North Shore News

I’m sure the upgrading that has
gone on in visible services has
happened everywhere in the system
and flying with Delta is again a

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