Tax season is upon us and for the fourth year in a row the Independent Budget Office (IBO) is providing its interactive web-based Tax Receipt service that allows taxpayers to find out how the government spends their tax dollars.

Taxpayers can visit IBO's website at www.ibo.nyc.ny.us, enter in the amount of taxes they paid for 1999, and receive an itemized printout of how much of their money went for specific services, such as prisons, welfare, Medicare, education, or national defense.

Receipts are available for taxes paid to New York City, New York State and the federal government.

For instance, a typical New York City resident might pay $1,563 in city income taxes, of which $158 supports police, $160 supports elementary and secondary education, and $29 goes to libraries, museums, parks and gardens.

IBO's Tax Receipt is the basis for the federal Taxpayer-Right-to-Know-Act, which was originally introduced by Senator Charles E. Schumer (NY) and passed last year. The Act requires the IRS to establish a similar service on its web site.