New Federal Tax Credit for Police (READ!)

[jam1433]

New Federal IncomeTax Credit for Police (READ!)

I got the following email from Representative Ron Paul. I had been contacting various members of the House and Senate to see if someone could introduce legislation to provide tax breaks for public safety employees. Pass this info to your fellow officers. Contact your Local US Representative to encourage them to support these bills. Hopefully we can generate enough public interest to get this bill passed,

Jam1433

Please click on this link to find your US Representative and send email in support of these bills:

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

Paul, Rep." Add to Address Book
To: "'[email protected]'"
Subject:
Date: Wed, 6 Jul 2005 14:27:46 -0400




Thank you for contacting my office regarding your support for tax credits for police officers and fire fighters. You will be interested in legislation I have introduced, HR 2822, the Public Safety Tax Cut Act, that would provide a tax credit for public safety officers and professional firefighters and would exclude from income certain benefits received by public safety volunteers. Additionally, I introduced HR 2823, which would provide for a nonrefundable tax credit for law enforcement officers who purchase armor vests. Relieving public safety officers of the enormous tax burden they bear should be a top priority of every congressman and senator. There is absolutely no justification, practical or constitutional, for imposing heavy taxes on those who risk the most for the safety of Americans.

Thank you again for contacting my office concerning these important issues.

Sincerely,

Ron Paul



This bill was introduced by Representative Ron Paul of Texas on June 8th
Public Safety Tax Cut Act (Introduced in House)
HR 2822 IH


109th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2822
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for police officers and professional firefighters, and to exclude from income certain benefits received by public safety volunteers.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

June 8, 2005
Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to provide a tax credit for police officers and professional firefighters, and to exclude from income certain benefits received by public safety volunteers.


Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Public Safety Tax Cut Act' .

SEC. 2. CREDIT FOR POLICE OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS.

(a) In General- Subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to nonrefundable personal credits) is amended by inserting after section 25B the following new section:

`SEC. 25C. POLICE OFFICERS AND PROFESSIONAL FIREFIGHTERS.

`(a) Allowance of Credit- In the case of an eligible individual, there shall be allowed as a credit against the tax imposed by this chapter for a taxable year an amount equal to $1,000.
`(b) Eligible Individual- For purposes of subsection (a), the term `eligible individual' means an individual who--

`(1) is a police officer or firefighter in a police department or fire department which is organized and operated by a State or political subdivision to provide police protection, firefighting services, or emergency medical services for any area within the jurisdiction of such State or political subdivision, and

`(2) is employed on a full-time basis during the taxable year as a police officer or firefighter.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for subpart A of part IV of subchapter A of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 25B the following new item:

`Sec. 25C. Police officers and professional firefighters.'.

(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005.

SEC. 3. EXCLUSION FROM GROSS INCOME OF CERTAIN BENEFITS RECEIVED BY PUBLIC SAFETY VOLUNTEERS.

(a) In General- Part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to items specifically excluded from gross income) is amended by inserting after section 139A the following new section:

`SEC. 139B. BENEFITS RECEIVED BY PUBLIC SAFETY VOLUNTEERS.

`(a) In General- Gross income does not include the value of any public services benefits received by a public safety volunteer.

`(b) Definitions- For purposes of this section--

`(1) The term `public services benefits' means services such as water, sewer, trash pickup, or other similar services provided by a State or local government agency as a benefit to its public safety volunteers.

`(2) The term `public safety volunteer' means a volunteer firefighter or volunteer auxiliary police officer.'.

(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for part III of subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 139A the following:

`Sec. 139B. Benefits received by public safety volunteers.'.

(c) Effective Date- The amendment made by this section shall apply to amounts received in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2005.

[USAcop]

Its good to see this legislation

Unfortuneately it seems legislators introduce legislation just for PR reasons. They just want to keep their constituents happy.

We have so many secondary traffic laws passed by legislators I have no respect for them.

Secondary seatbelt law- you have to stop someone for another violation to cite for seatbelt.

We had a legislator vote against a seatbelt law because he was mad at another legislator. He will cost a number of citizens their lives.

[pkagel]

Do a check on Rep. Paul, he has a solid record of voting for what he believes is right, not necessarily popular or for PR. I think he has more integrity in one finger than the rest of them combined. That said, I don't always agree with him, but I have the utmost respect for him.

For the rest of the republicrats up in DC, your dead on.

[Lucky Seven]

I don't understand why a $1,000.00 tax credit is a wonderful thing. It is just throwing a bone at LE and fire. Now if the legislation provided for a $10,000.00 tax credit then it would be a very beneficial objective.

Receiving a credit for purchasing a vest is something that can already be deducted. A volunteer can not deduct his/her time that is donated but they can deduct certain cumpulsory expenses.

[pkagel]

A 1k credit is 1k in your pocket. A 1k deduction is about 350$ in your pocket. Your choice, but I'd choose the credit!

[Lucky Seven]

A 1k credit is 1k in your pocket. A 1k deduction is about 350$ in your pocket. Your choice, but I'd choose the credit!

I agree it is better than nothing. But, by the low dollar amount, it would appear to be more PR than substantial support and or relief to LE and fire. A 10k credit would say more strongly that "we" support LE / fire.

[pkagel]

Baby steps, conservatives have finally learned what the liberals learned years ago. If you do things in baby steps you can get them through. 1k this year, maybe. Try putting through a 10k bill and see it go down in valiant flames. Once it is put through then it will be easier to increase it.

[Off.Cartman916]

if that went through...would i be able to use it for this year taxes.......I owe $900 fed...and that would take care of it

[jam1433]

PKagel you are right about baby steps. 1K this year, maybe a couple of years down the road 5K. BTW, I checked up on Representative Paul. This year he has also introduced legislation abolishing ALL personal income tax, and to withraw the US from the United Nations. Who knows maybe he can amend or re-write this bill to exempt law enforcement officers/ firefighters from pay any federal income tax.

[pkagel]

You owe $900 in July I'm not a tax attorney but my best guess would be no.

if that went through...would i be able to use it for this year taxes.......I owe $900 fed...and that would take care of it

[pkagel]

Not likely, that would sink the bill quicker than anything. The teachers union would be all over it in a microsecond.

Abolishing the income tax in favor of a sales tax is a much, much better idea. You could exempt LE sales tax on firearms & other related LE equipment because it had a public safety purpose. I figure this idea doesn't stand a chance in heck either but a guy can dream.

Who knows maybe he can amend or re-write this bill to exempt law enforcement officers/ firefighters from pay any federal income tax.

[jam1433]

I updated the origional post and included a link to Rep. Paul's remarks he made to Congress when he introduced the bill.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?r109:1:./temp/~r109L0MzHZ::

[jam1433]

I edited the post to include a link to WWW.HOUSE.GOV. Clicking on the link will take you to a search page to find your US Representative. I strongly encourage every one to write their Reps. and Senators to voice your support for these bills. Please spread the word to others!

http://www.house.gov/writerep/

[jam1433]

Currently this bill is in the House Ways and Means Committee.
I discovered that Paul introduced the same bill in 1999 and 2002, but we know where those bills went.
In January he introduced a similar tax cut act for public teachers. Than bill had 5 co-sponsors. His current bill benefitting police officers and firefighters has no co-sponsors. It looks like, despite their public statements to the contrary, our chosen profession just doesnt have the support and respect of our elected "representatives".

[Garbage Man]

Did you know that railroad engineers pay no federal taxes at all? Its true, when they made the tax code they deliberatly ommitted them to encourage people to apply for those jobs.