European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 08, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 16 b the stars and stripes Money matters monday february 8, 1993 today s rates following arc fixed rates at which Community banking and credit Union facilities will sell for sign currencies to . Personnel for personal use Gor Moln Mark 1.62british Pound 1.48 dutch Guilder 1.82greek drachma 4 214.0318 note the rates above apply within the hos country figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar following arc Interbank rates that fluctuate and should be regarded As the approximate value of the . Dollar to foreign Curren cies italian lira 1,532.22 turkish lira 9,016.10spanish peseta 117.78 portuguese escudo. 149.85austrian Schilling 11.675 saudi rial 3.7501bahrain Dinar 0.37675 Kuwait Dinar 0.309norwegian Krone 7.01 danish Krone 6.34 British Pound 1.4507german Mark 1.652 Swiss franc 1.5305french franc. 5.59 dutch Guilder 1.8524belgian franc 34.11 Canadian Dollar 1.2615 note figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar Gold quote $328.00 an ounce Silver quote $3 68 an ounce pm to Battle safety critics paper reports Washington a general motors corp. Will launch a major Legal and Public relations Campaign against critics who say it manufactured millions of unsafe pickups a published report says. The Washington Post quoting unidentified company sources in its sunday editions said pm will accuse the nation Al broadcasting co. And several consumer groups with rigging test results to make it appear that the design of the Gas Oline tanks on full sized pm pickups made from 1973-1987 were unsafe. Sources told the. Post that the Auto maker will try to show that tests commissioned by Abc s dateline program were rigged by the Institute for safety analysis to ensure that the truck would burst into flame on Impact. Nylic news spokeswoman tory Beilin son said Early sunday that the network stood by its Story which aired in november. This appears to be an attempt by Gen eral motors to divert attention from this $100 million Adverse jury verdict and Possi ble recall she told the associated press. Last week a jury returned a $105 million judgment against pm in the 1989 death of 17-year-old Shannon Moseley who die when his pickup exploded in a crash with a Drunken Driver. Pm has said it will Appeal the award. The automaker has scheduled a news conference today at its Detroit Headquarters to announce the Campaign the Post said. At Issue in the dispute is the sidesaddle placement of gasoline tanks in Mil Lions of full sized pm pickups manufactured from 1973 to 1987. Critics contend that the automaker knowingly endangered lives by putting the Gas tanks on the outside of the truck Frame rather than inside where the heavy Metal channels of the Frame would serve As a protective steel Barrier. Pm changed the design and after 1987 put the tank inside the Frame. It says a re Call would Cost As much Assi billion. Electronic filing for tax refunds could put deep Dent in Wallet some outlets charge up to 350% interest for Quck cosh by Kevin Robinso staff writer few people would borrow Money from a Bank that charged them up to 350 per cent interest to repay the loan. However service members who pay for fast Cash by getting a loan in anticipation of an in come tax refund May be doing just that an army Legal official said. The Pentagon wants us to let serv ice members know that they could pay an outrageous amount for a rapid refund loan through electronic tax filing at some commercial outlets said Steve Smith chief of Legal assistance for the 3rd inf div in Wiir Burg Germany. The Pentagon advisory comes As americans in Europe armed with their newly issued w-2 forms Scurry to file their 1992 Federal income taxes. The defense department s intention is for Servic members and government civilians to Check out free tax preparation and advice offered in their military communities before opting to pay for it Smith said. In addition the army has announced that electronic tax filing will be offered in certain communities. With it refunds will come Back in two to three weeks he added. But because not All army facilities will have the option Many people flock to commercial outlets offering the electronic service but then pay whatever fees they must to obtain a Quick refund. To file a tax return electronically through a commercial preparer custom ers May pay from $14 to $40 for a two to three week refund depending on what tax form is filed tax officials said. These prices do not include the Cost of preparing the taxes. Prices for the rapid 48-hour tax re funds can Start at about $65 just to file irs to Aid americans in Europe Washington is internal Revenue service tax advisers will be available at a number of european cities during the tax filing season through june 15, according to irs officials. The advisers Are making special efforts to help with the filing of returns on unreported income from previous years according to Rod Young of the International office of the irs. Taxpayers who come Forward make True voluntary disclosure and file an accurate return will not be prosecuted Young said. He also noted that the irs has stepped up efforts to identify no filers and enforce compliance. Instalment agreements arc available for those who cannot pay their taxes in full he said. In some cases penalties May be waived As Well Young said. Young said irs trained tax advisers Are available throughout the filing season at embassies or consulates in Paris Bonn London and Rome along with Riyadh saudi Arabia. If it s an emergency i can understand it but i they serve remembers Are using it to buy stereo it in t Worth it former loan officer in Germany the 1040-ez or 1040-a income tax re turns. However these returns Are Given to the customer in the form of a Bank loan through the tax preparer. A Pentagon study listed the average rate of annual interest for refund Loans at 250 percent to 350 percent Smith said. Most . Military communities offer income tax preparation services free either through unit tax advisers Volunteer income tax assistance personnel or Legal assistance offices. Refunds from Normal tax filing take four to six weeks for 1040-ez forms and six to eight weeks for 104q-a forms said John Martinsen a supervisory attorney at the v corps Legal office in Frankfurt Germany. Both the Navy Exchange and the army and air Force Exchange service have in come tax concessions that compete with other commercial outlets near . Bases for the business of offering tax preparation and providing fast refunds. Over the last four years a former loan officer at a . Financial facility in Ger Many said she has seen a lot of soldiers and civilians spend their Money for the Quick two Day refunds. Now Money is tight and people need to be aware of what they Are spending their Money on said the woman who requested anonymity. You would t Bor Row Money from a Bank if they charged you 146 percent on it would you irs assistance Austria Salzburg feb. 23-26 Telephone 43 662-28-6 01 Vienna March 1-16 Telephone 43-1-31-55-11 Belgium Brussels april 1-8 Telephone 32-2-513-3830 czech Republic Prague March 18-24 Telephone 42-2-536-641 Denmar Copenhagen March 1-5 Telephone 45-31-42 31-44 Egypt Alexandria feb. 7 Telephone 20-3-482-1911 Cairo May 9-11 Telephone 20-2-355-7371 Finlan Helsinki March 29-30 Telephone 358-0 171931 franc Marseille March 5-8 Telephone 33-91-549-200 Nice March 10-12 Telephone 33-93-88895 Germany Frankfurt feb. 11-18 Telephone 49-69-7535 3700 Hamburg March 5-11 Telephone 40-40 411710 Munich feb. 8-22 Telephone 49-89-28881 Stuttgart feb. 9-10 Telephone 49-711-214-5224 Greece Athens March 16 april 2 Telephone 30-1-721 2951 Iceland Reykjavik feb. 16-18 Telephone 354-1 -29100 Ireland Cork March 10-12 Telephone 353-1-688777 Dublin feb. 22-March 8 Telephone 353-1-688777 Israel Tel Aviv March 1-5 Telephone 972-3-517-4338 Italy Milan May 18-28 39-2-290-351 Naples april 27-29 39-81-761-4303 Jordan Amman feb. 21-23 Telephone 962 6-820-101 Kuwait Kuwait City May 2-4 Telephone 965-242-4151 however an army e-4 did pay the equivalent of a 146.52 percent annual rate on his income tax refund of $545 through or Block she said. According to a loan document he was charged $67.50 by the commercial preparers for electronically filing his return and another $29 As a finance charge on his refund anticipation  his $545 tax refund he actually pocketed $448. This is a Racket she  if it s an emergency i can understand it but if they service members Are using it to buy a stereo it in t Worth it she said or Block offers income tax preparation As an cafes Concession in Ger Many England Italy and Spain. At Raf Mildenhall England the or Block office has processed More than 90 percent of its 80 to 90 income tax refunds for the rapid 48-hour option said Kristine Gonzalez who owns the Milden Hall franchise. The people who sign up for the 48 hour refund want their Money now Gonzalez said often to buy a plane ticket or pay off Christmas Bills. We will Tell customers if we feel they Are spending too much for a return she said but customers still sign up for the fast refunds. Customers who opt for the refund anticipation loan receive a receipt from or Block and the loan paperwork itemizing fees to or Block finance charges through their Bank beneficial National Bank the amount of refund that is financed and the annual percent age rate of the loan Gonzalez said. This disclosure of financial information is required of All . Commercial income tax preparers by Federal truth in lending regulations military Legal officials said. Riga april 1-2 Telephone 358-49-311 -348 Netherlands Amsterdam feb. 18-24 Telephone 31-20-664 the Hague feb. 25-Mareh 3 Telephone 31-70 310-9209 Northern Irelan Belfast March 22-25 44-232-328-239 Norway Oslo March 9-16 Telephone 47-2-44-85-50 Oman Muscat april 1b-2t Telephone 968-699-094 Poland Warsaw feb. 9-16 Telephone 48-2-628-3041 Portugal Lisbon feb. 17-23 Telephone 351-1-726-6600 Rueel Moscow feb. 18-22 Telephone 7-095-252 2450 saudi Arabia Dhahran March 14-16 Telephone 9663-891 3200 Jeddah March 14-16 Telephone 9663-667 0040 Scotia Edinburgh March 16-19 Telephone 31-556 6315 Palermo april 20-23 Telephone 39-91-343-532 Spain Madrid feb. 25-March 3 34-1-577-4000 Sweden _ , March 18-25 Telephone 44-8-783 6300 Switzerland 0 Mgeneva March 16-22 Telephone 41-22-738 7613 Zurich March 24-30 Telephone 41-1422-2566 Syria Damascus feb. 25-26 Telephone 939636-11 333-052  feb. 24-25 Telephone 704-40-279-0188 United Arab Melra Ketabu Dahabi april 3-5 Telephone 971-2-33-6691 Dubai. April 5-7 Telephone 971-4313-115