More than 6,000 Eastern Connecticut residents have not filed yet to receive their economic stimulus rebate from the Internal Revenue Service, and state and local officials want to make sure people do it before the Oct. 15 deadline. Speaking to the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments Wednesday morning, Ellen Paul, from the office of U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney, D-2nd District, said they want to help. “Many of those who have not filed are senior citizens or disabled veterans,” Paul said. The checks would run between $300 and $600 for individuals, or up to $1, 200 for married couples, with an additional $300 per dependent child. The only way to claim the rebate is to file a 2007 income tax return, though Catherine Russi, director of the Colchester Senior Center, said many seniors do not ordinarily file a return. “Many people need assistance filing or are just not used to filing,” she said. Beverly Goulet, director of Human Services for Norwich, said northeastern Connecticut ranks seventh in the country in terms of regions with the highest percentage of senior citizens. “And Norwich alone has close to 20 percent,” Goulet said. “It’s a challenge.” Flo Champagne of Norwich said she filed long ago, but encourages those who have not to do so. “I live in elderly housing here in Taftville,” she said. “We had a social worker who didn’t fill it out for us, but showed us what to do. The checks came in, though a few people are still wait ...
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