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Urging Congress to restore Transit Benefit parity


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#1 CNJRoss

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Posted 11 November 2014 - 12:35 AM

WMATA media advisory, 11/10:

Media Advisory: Congressman Blumenauer (D-OR) & Congressman McGovern (D-MA) join the Commuter Benefits Work for Us Coalition to unveil campaign to urge Congressional action to restore transit benefit parity

WHAT: Press Event – Congressman Blumenauer (D-OR) & Congressman McGovern (D-MA) will be joined by Metro Board Chair Tom Downs and the Commuter Benefits Work for Us Coalition urging Congress to take swift action restoring parity between the transit/vanpool and parking benefits.

The Commuter Benefits Work for Us coalition is made up of employers, unions, transit agencies, national & local associations all calling for Congress to end the tax on transit riders and to establish parity. During the event, the coalition will release a letter from more than 50 national organizations as well as highlight information from a series of studies that show the impact of transit benefits.


WHEN: Wednesday, November 12 10:00 a.m.

WHERE: U.S. House Triangle (Across from the NW corner of the Cannon House Office Building)

WHO: Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA), Metro Board Chair Tom Downs, Commuter Benefits Work for Us Coalition

#2 CNJRoss

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Posted 17 November 2014 - 10:34 AM

The Hill, 11/13:

Transit advocates hope for lame-duck action on commuter tax break

Transit advocates are pushing lawmakers to revive a tax break for commuters who take public transportation to work that was cut at the beginning of this year during the lame-duck session that began this week.

The amount of their monthly incomes that transit riders are allowed to set aside before taxes for their commutes to work was reduced from $240 to $130 in January, over the objection of public transit advocates who argued that a similar tax break for drivers who park in garages was left unchanged.

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#3 CNJRoss

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Posted 17 November 2014 - 10:39 AM

APTA news release, 11/12:


Urgent Action by Congress is needed on Commute Benefit To Restore Tax Parity with Auto Drivers
Statement by APTA President and CEO Michael Melaniphy



“The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) joins the Commuter Benefits Work for Us Coalition, Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Congressman Jim McGovern (D-MA) in urging Congress to take immediate action to restore parity among public transportation/van pool and parking benefits.

Commuters who use public transportation and especially those with the longer commutes by rail, bus, or van pools have seen their annual commuting cost increase by up to $1,380 a year based on a bias in the tax code that eliminated the parity between public transportation and parking benefits for auto users.

Absent Congressional action, the transit commuter benefit dropped at the beginning of this year from $245 to $130 per month, while the parking benefit was automatically adjusted up to $250 per month. This equates to a higher tax of approximately $565 annually for those who take public transit. Congress has an opportunity to correct this and restore parity between transit tax benefits and parking tax benefits before the next tax year begins.

We believe it is sound policy to maintain both the public transit and parking benefits at equal levels. The current law diverges from a balanced federal tax policy that treats different modes of travel equitably.

Restoring parity between transit tax benefits and parking tax benefits will eliminate the federal tax incentive to drive over taking public transportation.

Let’s restore equity in the tax code when it comes to commuting – whether one commutes by public transportation or drives to work.”


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#4 CNJRoss

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Posted 17 November 2014 - 10:43 AM

Bridgeport Connecticut Pos[/quote]t, 11/16:
[quote]
Blumenthal to push for return of federal commuter-tax break

BRIDGEPORT -- U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal on Monday will again call for full restoration of the federal commuter-tax benefit, which helps commuters pay for parking, train tickets and bus fares.

"Commuters from every corner of the state have expressed to me, through letters, emails and phone calls how useful and important this benefit is to them on a daily basis," Blumenthal said.
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#5 CNJRoss

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Posted 17 November 2014 - 10:48 AM

The Journal News, White Plains, NY, 11/12:

Schumer: Expand tax break for train, bus commuters now

Sen. Charles Schumer wants to give train and bus riders the same tax break as drivers


With the lame-duck session of Congress just weeks from ending, Sen. Charles Schumer is making a last-chance push to expand the tax benefit for commuters who get to work on buses and trains.

"It makes absolutely no sense to provide those who drive to work with a massive tax break and make commuters who use mass transit pay more," Schumer, D-New York, said in a statement Tuesday. "It's an unwise and unfair disparity in the tax code, and I intend to fix this inequity."

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#6 CNJRoss

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Posted 04 December 2014 - 10:09 PM

Federal News Radio, Washington, DC, 12/4:

House passes retroactive mass-transit benefit for workers

 

Federal employees and all American workers could get the higher mass-transit benefit they've been waiting for, provided the Senate passes a broad package of temporary special-interest tax breaks. The House passed the bill Wednesday by a vote of 378-46.

 

The commuter tax break will retroactively raise the monthly mass-transit subsidy to $250 for 2014, restoring it to the level of the unaffected monthly parking subsidy. The mass-transit tax break had fallen to $130 per month on Jan. 1, 2014.

 

While the bill makes the mass transit subsidy retroactive to Jan. 1, it remains unclear whether agencies have the funding in place to honor subsidies from previous months of the year. The decision to retroactively grant the subsidies may be left up to individual agencies.

 

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#7 CNJRoss

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Posted 17 December 2014 - 03:59 PM

AP via WTOP radio, 12/17:
 

Temporary tax breaks _ which ones affect you?

 

Congress gave final approval Tuesday to a bill extending more than 50 expired tax breaks through the end of 2014. They include:

 

SNIP

 

--A tax credit for expenses related to railroad track maintenance through 2013. Cost: $207 million.

 

SNIP

 

--A provision that boosts the amount of tax-free money employers can provide commuters to spend on public transportation. Cost: $10 million.

 

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