CHEROKEE Nation receives IRS computers

<br>TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) _ The Internal Revenue Service has donated 200 computers to the Cherokee Nation. <br><br>``The idea is that during tax season, volunteers can help people file their taxes electronically,''

Tuesday, May 22nd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. (AP) _ The Internal Revenue Service has donated 200 computers to the Cherokee Nation.

``The idea is that during tax season, volunteers can help people file their taxes electronically,'' said James Hellams, an IRS employee who delivered the computers last week. ``When they aren't needed for tax preparation, the communities can use the computers however they want.''

The computers come from government agencies that are replacing them with newer models, but they are still good quality machines.

Todd Enlow, director of the tribe's information systems, said most of the computers are Pentium IIs with ``all the gadgets.''

Tribal officials said the computers will help Cherokees take advantage of tax breaks they may have been missing.

The Cherokee Nation's Washington, D.C., office began working with the IRS on the project a couple of months ago.

The IRS plans to deliver 100 more computers within eight weeks and will replace all of the equipment with newer technology within two years. The Cherokee Nation is the first American Indian tribe to work with the IRS under the equipment-sharing program, Hellams said.

``I'm the guy from the IRS that people like to see,'' he said.