1 of 1- Goose
- Cogito ergo sum
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House G.O.P. Tax Writers Take Aim at College Tuition Benefits
House G.O.P. Tax Writers Take Aim at College Tuition Benefits
By ERICA L. GREENNOV. 15, 2017
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Fred Vautour started working the graveyard shift as a janitor at Boston College 17 years ago, and tuition benefits put his children through college. Credit Kayana Szymczak for The New York Times
WASHINGTON — The moment the last of Fred Vautour’s five children walked across the stage as a Boston College graduate was priceless.Not only did Mr. Vautour have the rare distinction of handing each of his children their diplomas, but he was also able to pay for their nearly 18 years of schooling by collecting trash, scrubbing toilets and mopping floors while the campus slept.
“As much as I struggled, it was incredible to be able to do that for them,” said Mr. Vautour, 64, who has worked the graveyard shift as a custodian at Boston College for 17 years. “I took this job for benefits, but never imagined this would be one of them.”
It may not be one for long — or at least could be severely curtailed. The sprawling House tax bill, set for a vote on Thursday, would tax the value of college tuition benefits conferred on thousands of university employees like Mr. Vautour, one of several provisions that would hit colleges, universities and their students, hard.
Republicans drafted the bill with the premise that it would simplify the nation’s tax code and cut rates for middle-income Americans. To help pay for the $1.5 trillion tax cut, lawmakers eliminated many individual tax breaks, arguing the overall plan would compensate for any lost benefits. The result: while many families and businesses would see tax cuts, a large percentage of undergraduates and graduate students would see their tax bills increase, some dramatically.
Last edited by Goose (11/16/2017 1:14 pm)
We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists.
- tennyson
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Re: House G.O.P. Tax Writers Take Aim at College Tuition Benefits
This is NOT a tax cut designed for the Middle Class average Joe.
It is for business and wealthy (with the elimination of the AMT and Estate Tax).
Meanwhile it adds about $ 1.4 Trillion to the deficit over 10 years.
"Do not confuse motion and progress, A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress"
- Just Fred
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Re: House G.O.P. Tax Writers Take Aim at College Tuition Benefits
On the positive side, many Trump supporters are happy now:
- Just Fred
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Re: House G.O.P. Tax Writers Take Aim at College Tuition Benefits
And then there's the "War on Education". Heard this story today:
A PhD grad student teaches a college class. He's paid 18k and his own course load working toward his degree is tuition free as long as continues to teach. Ok, fine, and that sounds reasonable to me. If he weren't employed by the college he would have to pay the 55k tuition cost.
But, here's the kicker in this new tax plan ................. he will now have to pay federal income tax, on not the 18k he gets for teaching, but will be taxed based on 73k that includes the 55k fee that was waived by the school where he works as if he really was making 73k.
Ahhhhhh, a "War on Education" is another tactic necessary to establish an oligarchy where a democracy once lived that depends on an educated populace.