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| Date: From: Subject: | 2/17/2009 4:20:58 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Illinois: Calls Needed To Support Increasing the Home Educators Tax Credit |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 17, 2009 Illinois: Calls Needed To Support Increasing the Home Educators Tax Credit Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: Senate Bill 183, House Bill 643, and House Bill 1097 were introduced by Senator Dan Cronin and referred to the Assignments Committee on January 30, 2009. If S.B. 183 passes, it would increase the education expense credit to 50% (instead of 25%) of qualified education expenses. In addition, the bill increases the maximum amount of the education expense credit that home educators can receive from $500 to $1,000. The same bill was filed in the House under House Bill 643, sponsored by Representative Kevin McCarthy. Representative McCarthy also filed the same legislation under House Bill 1097. Your calls are needed to get these bills passed. Action Requested: 1. Please call your representatives and give this message: "Please vote for Senate Bill 183, House Bill 643, and House Bill 1097, all of which increase the maximum education expense credit from $500 to $1,000. It will empower parents to choose the best education for their children." You do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler. You can call the legislative hotline at (217) 782-3944 and ask for your senator and representative. 2. We urge homeschoolers to attend the hearing for H.B. 643 to voice their support. The hearing is in the Revenue and Finance Committee and is scheduled for February 20, at 8 a.m. in the Capitol Building, Room 122B. 3. We urge homeschoolers to also attend the hearing for S.B. 183 to voice their support. The hearing is in the Revenue Committee on February 19, at 2 p.m., in the Capitol Building, Room 400. BACKGROUND: Homeschoolers currently pay for the public education system while they privately educate their own children. This "double taxation" is unfair. While almost all homeschoolers would like to be free of the tax burden of public schools they do not use themselves, a significant number of homeschool leaders are concerned about any effort to get benefits from the government. Most homeschool leaders agree that vouchers (direct payments from the government to private or homeschools) are unacceptable because of the controls and loss of freedom that comes with the money. As an alternative, HSLDA recommends another vehicle: educational tax credits. Parents and individuals who provide for a child's education should be allowed to keep some of their tax money that would otherwise have been used to fund public education. This goal could be accomplished through a tax credit. Educational tax credit legislation can typically be divided into two categories: tax credits for individuals or corporations who contribute to a non-profit scholarship fund and tax credits reimbursing parents for educational expenses incurred for their children. Arizona passed an educational tax credit law which falls into the first category while Minnesota and Illinois passed a tax credit falling into the second category. Education tax credits offer several benefits: > Educational tax credits will give parents true choice in education. This tax credit will help reduce the "double tax burden" on parents who choose private or home education. > Education tax credits will benefit public schools. By encouraging students to attend private schools or homeschools, the tuition tax credit will reduce overcrowded public school class sizes and the student-to-teacher ratio, making more teachers available to public school students. > Education tax credits will benefit low-income families. Most educational tax credit proposals provide a credit for businesses and private individuals who contribute to a nonprofit scholarship fund, which are usually dedicated to helping low-income families. This type of credit provides an incentive to help give low-income families true choice in their children's education. For more information on educational tax credits, see our memorandum at http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=6143 . Sincerely, Chris Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Will your children's inheritance retain its value? If you pass on a legacy of freedom, your children and their children's children will thank you. But freedom is never secure; it must always be guarded. Membership with HSLDA is an investment in the future that can be passed on to future generations of families wanting to teach their children at home. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1944 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
