Letter to House Ways and Means Committee: October 31, 2007
October 31, 2007
The Honorable Charles B. Rangel
Chairman
Committee on Ways and Means
1102 Longworth House Office Building
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Chairman Rangel:
On behalf of the 95,000 school board members of the National School Boards Association (NSBA) who represent more than 50 million students in the nation’s 15,000 public school districts, I am writing in support of the following provisions of the pending “Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007”:
- Extension of the Qualified Zone Academy Bond (QZAB) program;
- Clarification of the 2006 QZAB arbitrage rules;
- Extension of the $250 tax deduction for school teachers’ expenses for classroom supplies, instructional materials and related expenses; and
- Extension of the enhanced deduction for book and computer donations to schools.
These provisions in the Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007 are very beneficial to the nation’s school districts and communities, helping advance student achievement and ensure that our students receive the 21st Century skills and knowledge necessary for global and economic competitiveness.
Specifically, the QZAB provisions will continue to provide critical, cost-effective resources to school districts for infrastructure repairs and modernization, as well as curriculum development. Since its inception in 1998, the program has also strengthened public-private partnerships between school districts and businesses that have, in turn, contributed to innovative education programs and overall student achievement.
The one-year extensions proposed for above-the line deductions for teachers and for enhanced deductions for specific school donations are also ultimately beneficial to our students and schools. Like the QZAB program, these deductions are especially helpful in providing resources for schools in high-poverty communities—both urban and rural—with limited tax bases that need additional support for school modernization costs and classroom supplies.
NSBA greatly appreciates your support for our students and school districts in the Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007, and urges the Committee’s adoption of the provisions stated above.
In addition, NSBA looks forward to working with you to enact the America’s Better Classrooms Act (H.R. 2470), which will help provide federal resources for school construction, as well as repair and modernization.
Thank you again for your leadership and support for our students.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Resnick
Associate Executive Director