04/18/2008
State
The Alabama House votes to repeal tax deduction
The Alabama House of Representatives voted this week for a constitutional amendment to repeal the federal income tax deduction that Alabamians currently use when filing their state income taxes.
NFIB members voted on the 2008 State Ballot by a vote of 94 percent to oppose this legislation. Since this is a constitutional amendment, it required 63 votes to pass. Exactly 63 votes were reported, although the media is reporting that votes were cast for lawmakers who weren't present.
Please call your senators this week and asked them to oppose this legislation that is a $345 million dollar tax increase on taxpaying Alabamians.
NFIB members should thank fellow members Rep. Jay Love (Montgomery), Rep. Mac Gipson (Prattville) and other Reps. Greg Canfield (Birmingham), Mike Hubbard (Auburn), Jack Williams (Birmingham) for the efforts made on the floor to protect small businesses in Alabama.
$96 million tax bill up first on Tuesday
The House should vote Tuesday on HB 350, a measure that would cost Alabama businesses $96 million by enacting a retroactive increase in business taxes. Details of the bill are still being worked out by the business community, the Alabama Education Association and lawmakers.
NFIB also is concerned about HB 768, sponsored by Rep. Jeff McLaughlin (Guntersville) and passed by the House Education Appropriations Committee this week. HB 768 would constitute a retroactive tax increase on business and place Alabama far outside the mainstream of accepted corporate tax law. The bill is so far-reaching it would even allow the Alabama Department of Revenue to tax companies that have no connection or presence in Alabama.
Business and Labor reach agreement
NFIB, along with Manufacture Alabama, BCA, AFL-CIO and the Alabama Department of Industrial Relations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to avoid higher unemployment taxes for businesses, block attempts to raid the Unemployment Trust Fund and give a weekly benefit increase to Alabama unemployed workers. Included in the agreement is the passage of the "SUTA" legislation, and two other Industrial Relations bills that would redistribute federal funding for the Alabama Employment Service. The agreement will save the Unemployment Trust Fund money and relieves costs to Alabama employers.
Alabama accounting firm in top 100 list
NFIB members Carr, Riggs and Ingram has been named to Accounting Today's list of the top accounting firms at No. 35, up one spot from 2006. Based in Enterprise, the firm has 15 offices across the Southeast with locations in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida.
If you have any questions, please contact the Montgomery office at 334-264-2261.
Sincerely,
Rosemary Elebash
NFIB/Alabama State Director
334-264-2261
Rosemary.Elebash@NFIB.org
