We’re Still Waiting – Tax Extenders Omitted from the Two-Year Budget Deal
I’m sorry, I should have posted this sooner.
The Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2015 as worked out by Speaker Boehner and other leaders this week does not include WOTC or other tax extenders. The extenders will likely become a priority for the new Speaker in coming days. They most certainly ARE a priority for tens of thousands of businesses and tax payers, all of whom have their eyes on Congress this week. (more…)
- Published in Uncategorized
Put on Your Lobbying Shoes – Budget Negotiations Coming Soon
This year has passed too quickly. It’s already September 10th!
Only yesterday it was 4th quarter 2012 and we were perplexed about how Congress would handle (or fail to handle) the many expired tax extenders. For patrons of the WOTC program, the time to sweat has come again. (more…)
- Published in Uncategorized, Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Tax Reform on the Horizon – Battle for WOTC and Other Incentives Looms
Speaker of the US House of Representatives, John Boehner (R-Ohio) has recently repeated his vow to make comprehensive tax reform a top priority of the new Congress this year. Symbolic of that end, Speaker Boehner has reserved the designation of House Resolution 1 (HR 1) for the coming tax reform bill. (more…)
- Published in Work Opportunity Tax Credit
"Plan B" Action Alert – Support Inclusion of Tax Extenders in House Tax Bill
If you’ve been listening to talk radio or the news this morning, you will have already heard House Speaker John Boehner’s talking about the House’s “Plan B” tax bill. The White House has already rejected the Plan B proposal and it is expected to also die in the Senate. Nevertheless, the bill is important because it will outline what is important to House Republicans and will potentially set a baseline for supporting tax extenders in subsequent bills. (more…)
- Published in Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Situation Volatile but Reasonable Chance for Tax Extenders this Year
The elections are over and many otherwise interested Americans have turned (at least one eye) temporarily away from politics. I understand the sentiment. Forcing yourself to follow Congress right now is like dragging one of those civil-war era canon balls with a chain around your ankle.
Nevertheless, important issues are being addressed, including the Work Opportunity Tax Credit and numerous other tax extenders. (more…)
- Published in Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Congressional Tug of War on Tax Issues: MUST Keep Pushing House and Senate for WOTC Renewal
Paul Suplizio of the WOTC Coalition gave an analysis this morning of the current situation in Congress as it relates to renewal of WOTC and other tax extenders. While there is little chance of of immediate passage, there are important political milestones to be laid at this time. (more…)
- Published in Work Opportunity Tax Credit
Latest News on Payroll Tax Cut Extension and WOTC Renewal
I thought you might appreciate the following excerpt from a recent email update I received from WOTC Coalition President Paul Suplizio. Some of this has been reported in the news but Paul’s perspective adds something important. I am re-publishing this with his permission.
In a statement [Monday], Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor said they will no longer require offsets for the $100 billion cost to extend the payroll tax cut to the end of the year, and are preparing a bill that will extend the payroll tax cut separately if the conference reaches no agreement, leaving the conference to continue working on unemployment insurance and Medicare doctors’ payments.
The conference committee is being notified of this new Republican position, which means $100 billion of the total $160 billion cost of the payroll bill would not have to be offset.
The conferees still have time to reach agreement on a total package, but if they don’t the Speaker is free to make the effort to pass a stand-alone bill extending the payroll tax only. This would remove payroll tax as a partisan issue, but the Speaker is likely to need Democratic support because of the roughly ninety Republicans who would not vote to increase the deficit.
Senator Reid is expected to make the extenders part of the bill he has said he will introduce if the conference bogs down. He will have the option to bring it to a vote or attach it to any stand-alone payroll bill that passes the House.
Unemployment compensation and doc fix remain “must do” issues, even if payroll tax is passed separately—thus we continue to work for the tax extenders to be added to HR 3630 in conference.
If $40 billion for tax extenders is added, the total requiring offset would be $100 billion for unemployment insurance, doctors’ fix, and the tax extenders. Democrats are arguing unemployment insurance should not be offset, and a good case can be made for not offsetting the tax extenders.
Comments: The Republican leadership’s concession on not requiring a budget offset to the “cost” of the payroll-tax-cut extension reduces the total amount of offsets needed to pass all of the priority items. One of those priority items is the tax extenders, which will presumably include WOTC.
What this boils down to is that we are likely to at least see legislation soon with tax extenders attached. Whether Congress can pass it, of course, is a separate question. Nothing is certain and the political environment remains volatile.
- Published in Federal Legislation, Work Opportunity Tax Credit