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2/25/2009 12:46:14 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Illinois: Calls Needed to Support $1,000 Tax Credit

====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== February 25, 2009 Illinois: Calls Needed to Support $1,000 Tax Credit Dear HSLDA Members and Friends: House Bill 643 and House Bill 1097 are scheduled to be heard in the Revenue and Finance Committee tomorrow. If these bills pass, 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. Your calls to the Revenue and Finance Committee members are needed to get these bills passed. Action Requested: 1. Please call the committee members and give them this message: "Please vote for House Bill 643 and House Bill 1097, both 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. Due to the large number of representatives that need to be called, we ask that those families with last names starting with the letters A-H, please call the first four committee members of the list below. Families with last names starting with the letters I-P, please call the next four members of the committee. And lastly, families with last names starting with the letters Q-Z, please call the last five members of the committee list below. Revenue and Finance Committee: A-H: Chairperson John E. Bradley (D) - 217-782-1051 Vice-Chairperson Frank J. Mautino (D) - 217-782-0140 Bob Biggins (D) - 217-782-6578 Suzanne Bassi (R) - 217-782-8026 I-P: Mark H. Beaubien (R) - 217-782-1517 Linda Chapa LaVia (D) - 217-782-1002 Barbara Flynn Currie (D) - 217-782-8121 Roger L. Eddy (R) - 217-782-1040 Q-Z: LaShawn K. Ford (D) - 217-782-5962 Careen M. Gordon (D) - 217-782-5997 Ed Sullivan, Jr. (R) - 217-782-3696 Arthur L. Turner (D) - 217-782-8116 Michael J. Zalewski (D) - 217-782-5280 We urge homeschoolers to attend the hearing for H.B. 643 and H.B. 1097 to voice their support. The hearing is scheduled for February 26, at 10 a.m. in the Capitol Building, Room 122B. 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=6175 . Sincerely, Chris Klicka HSLDA Senior Counsel ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> Extreme makeovers are for extreme circumstances... Most homeschools don't need an extreme makeover, but there is something to be said for attention to detail and recognition of accomplishments. Watch the media and you'll soon see that not everyone wants home educators and homeschooling to look good. HSLDA works hard to shed light on the good work of home educators so it's obvious that we don't need someone "making-over" our homeschools. Join HSLDA and help us show the world that we're fine as we are . . . thank you! More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1943 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ======================================================================

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