Author Archives: Gene Fenstermacher

*State Veterans Legislative Update 9 February 2017; SB 1443: veterans’ donation fund; tax credit

SB 1443: ‘veterans’ donation fund: tax credit’ is scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Finance Committee at 0900 15 February. It would establish the Arizona Veterans ’Donation fund as an Arizona Tax Credit organization in lieu of continuing the  Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF) as an Arizona Tax Credit organization. The MFRF, established as an Arizona Tax Credit organization in 2007 to assist post 1/9/11 veterans, is scheduled to end in 2018. Of the approximately 9 million dollars donated to date, over 6 million dollars have been unused. SB 1443 would extend the time for disposition of currently unused funds to post 9/11/2001 Veterans and their families to 31 Dec 2025. Any unused funds as of 31 Dec 2025 would be transferred for deposit in the Veteran’s Donation Fund as originally planned at the end of 2018. This extension of time will “maintain faith” with those Arizona taxpayers who specifically donated for the purposes of assisting post 9-11 veterans and their families. Concurrently, the Bill would establish the current Veterans’ Donation fund as an AZ Tax Credit donation organization for the period 1 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2025 to augment its current source of resources to assist Arizona Veterans of all eras and their families, including post 9-11 Veterans.

Please consider sending the draft message at the end of this Email to all Senate Finance Committee members ASAP

When you are ready to send the Message at the end of this text to the 7 members of the Senate Finance Committee members, copy the Draft Message at the end of this update and paste it as the text of a new Email the way you usually prepare to send an Email, and add your name after “Respectfully”. If you are not a Veteran, delete ‘As an Arizona Veteran,’ at the beginning of the text.

Then come back here and copy: ‘ SB 1444: Income Tax Subtraction; Military Retirement ‘ and paste it  as the subject of your new Email

Then come back here and copy one of the group of Email addresses of the Senate Finance Committee members shown below and paste it on the Bcc: line of your new Email

Then hit Send to send your new Email

Email addresses with Semi-colons for members of the Arizona Senate Finance Committee Members:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];

   

Senate Finance Committee Member Addresses With Commas:                                                                                                             

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],

                                            Draft Message

Dear Senator,

As an Arizona Veteran, I encourage you to support SB 1443: ‘veterans’ donation fun; tax credit’ in the Senate Finance Committee hearing. The Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF), established as an Arizona Tax Credit organization established in 2007 to assist post 1/9/11 veterans, is scheduled to end in 2018. Of the approximately 9 million dollars donated to date, over 6 million dollars have been unused. SB 1443 would extend the time for disposition of currently unused funds to post 9/11/2001 Veterans and their families to 31 Dec 2025. Any unused funds as of 31 Dec 2025 would be transferred for deposit in the Veteran’s Donation Fund as originally planned at the end of 2018. This extension of time will “maintain faith” with those Arizona taxpayers who specifically donated for the purposes of assisting post 9-11 veterans and their families. Concurrently, the Bill would dis-establish the MFRF as a Tax Credit organization and establish the current Veterans’ Donation fund as an AZ Tax Credit donation organization for the period 1 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2025 to augment its current source of resources to assist Arizona Veterans of all eras and their families, including post 9-11 Veterans.

I urge you to support SB 1443 in committee.

Respectfully,

*State Veterans Legislative Update 3 February 2017: SB 1444: income tax subtraction; military retirement

Arizona SB 1444 is being scheduled for a hearing in the Senate Appropriation Committee. We need to contact the committee members to urge them to support SB1411: income tax subtraction; military retirement.

Please consider sending the draft message at the end of this Email to the Senate Appropriations Committee members ASAP to encourage them to support the Bill in committee.

                    Guidance for processing and sending your Email(s).

When you are ready to send the Message at the end of this text to all members of the Senate Appropriations Committee members, copy the Draft Message at the end of this update and paste it as the text of a new Email the way you usually prepare to send an Email, and add your name after “Respectfully”.

Then come back here and copy: ‘ SB 1444: Income Tax Subtraction; Military Retirement ‘ and paste it  as the subject of your new Email

Then come back here and copy one of the group of Email addresses of the Senate Appropriations Committee members shown below and paste it on the Bcc: line of your new Email

Then hit Send to send your new Email

Email addresses with Semi-colons for members of the Senate Appropriations Committee:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];; [email protected]; [email protected];  

Email addresses with Commas for members of the Senate Appropriations Committee:                                                                                                                         

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],                    

Draft Message

Dear Senator,

The military retirement exemption schedule proposed by SB 1444 will incentivize growth for our local communities and the economy by making it appealing for Military retirees to settle in our great state of Arizona to pursue their new careers.

 

However, we have been losing the battle to other states to attract more military retirees.  While the majority of the new Military retirees retire between the ages of 38-45, we are not attracting them.  Instead, our current military retiree population keeps getting older.  We need to do better!

 

The average age of Military retirees is about 38 to the mid-40s. Life expectancy at that age is an additional 35-45 years.  They are highly skilled, well trained, and well educated…but they are not coming to AZ!  Over the last several years we have been beat by Texas, Virginia, North Carolina,, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Maryland, Colorado, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Washington, New York, Kentucky, Michigan, Utah, Wisconsin, and Indiana to attracting new Military retirees.

 

We have heard much about AZ becoming a more Military friendly state as it relates to jobs and business opportunities.  Unfortunately, our hands seem to continue to be tied to budget concerns. It’s time to flip the script on that thought process. We need to consider the home and car sales taxes, property taxes, other sales taxes, etc. that these new retirees will bring to the state to help offset the cost to implement SB 1444.   This is an investment into AZ’s future work force.  We have lost valuable ground to other states when it comes to legislation that entices Military retiree migration towards AZ and second career job opportunities.  The bottom line is that you cannot attract military retirees without taxation incentives, and/or education incentives, and/or job incentives when other states are doing more.

 

This bill targets Military retirees to retire in or come to Arizona to improve AZ’s economic future as a more Military friendly state.

 

I urge you to support SB 1444 in committee.

 

Respectfully,

*State Veterans Legislative Update1 February 2017: SB 1444: Income Tax Subtraction; Military Retirement

Arizona SB 1444 is being sponsored by Senator Gail Griffin along with 15 other Senate and House of Representative Co-Sponsors.  SB 1444 will increase the income tax exemption for Military retirees from the current $2500 to $12,500, then to $25,000 and then exempt all Military retiree pay beginning in 2022. This will be an incentive for them to choose Arizona as the place to retire and begin their new careers.  While this Bill addresses reducing state income tax for Military Retirees it will, in part, be replaced with sales tax for the cars, property taxes on homes and so on that they will spend their money on. A draft copy of the bill is attached for your use.

Please consider sending the draft message at the end of this Email to all Arizona State Senators and Representatives ASAP to give them a heads up on this draft Bill and encourage their support.

                       Guidance for processing and sending your Email(s)

When you are ready to send the Message at the end of this text to all State Legislators, copy the Draft Message at the end of this update and paste it as the text of a new Email the way you usually prepare to send an Email, and add your name after “Respectfully”.

Then come back here and copy: ‘ SB 1444: Income Tax Subtraction; Military Retirement ‘ and paste it  as the subject of your new Email

Then come back here and copy one of the group of Email addresses of all Arizona State Senators shown below and paste it on the Bcc: line of your new Email

Then hit Send to send your new Email

Then repeat this process to send the message to all  members of the House of Representatives

Email addresses with Semi-colons for members of the Arizona Senate:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]          

Senate addresses with comas:                                                                                                         

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Email addresses with Semi-colons for members of the Arizona House of Representatives:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];

House of Representatives addresses with comas:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],

                                              Draft Message

______________________________________________________________________________

Dear Legislator,

As an Arizona Veteran, I encourage you to Co-Sponsor and/or support Senator Gail Griffin and some 15 other members of the Senate and House of Representative who are co-sponsoring the attached SB 1444: Income Tax Subtraction; Military Retirement.

SB 1444 will make Arizona an even more most Military Friendly State in the Nation!  It will increase  the income tax exemption for Military retirees over the years and eventually eliminate all Military Retirement pay from taxation by the State of Arizona. This proposal will draw 40ish year old Military Retirees to Arizona. These retirees have proven records, have diverse skills, are well-educated, and will be a huge asset to Arizona if we can incentivize them to make this their home. While this proposal will reduce state income tax paid by Military retirees, that will in part be replaced with sales tax for the cars, sales taxes and property taxes on homes, and other things that they will spend their retirement and second career pay on. Please join Senator Griffin and the 15 other members of the Senate and House of Representative in supporting this Bill.

Respectfully,

 

*State Veterans Legislative Update 31 January 2017: SB 1443 veterans’ donation fund: tax credit

Arizona SB 1443 is being sponsored by Senator Gail Griffin along with 15 other Senate and House of Representative Co-Sponsors. SB 1443 would establish the current Veterans’ Donation fund as an AZ Tax Credit donation organization for the period 1 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2025 to augment its current source of funding to benefit Arizona Veterans of all eras including post 9-11 Veterans who are now served by the Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF). The Bill would terminate tax credit donations to the MFRF at the end of 2017, a year earlier than currently scheduled, but would extend the time for disposition of unused funds to post 9/11/2001 Veterans to 31 Dec 2025. The MFRF still has over 6 million of the approximately 9 million dollars in donations received over the past 9 years.. Any unused funds as of 31 Dec 2025 would be transferred to the Veteran’s Donation Fund. This extension of time will maintain faith” with those Arizona taxpayers who specifically donated for the purposes of assisting post 911 veterans and their families. Concurrently,   

Please consider sending the draft message at the end of this Email to all Arizona State Senators and Representatives ASAP to give them a heads up on this draft Bill and encourage their support.

                       Guidance for processing and sending your Email(s)

When you are ready to send the Message at the end of this text to all State Legislators, copy the Draft Message at the end of this update and paste it as the text of a new Email the way you usually prepare to send an Email, and add your name after “Respectfully”.

Then come back here and copy: ‘ SB 1443 veterans’ donation fund: tax credit ‘ and paste it  as the subject of your new Email

Then come back here and copy one of group of Email addresses of all Arizona State Senators shown below and paste it on the Bcc: line of your new Email

Then hit Send to send your new Email

Then repeat this process to send the message to all members of the House of Representatives

Email addresses with Semi-colons for members of the Arizona Senate:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Senate addresses with comas:                                                                         

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Email addresses with Semi-colons for members of the Arizona House of Representatives:

[email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected];

House of Representatives addresses with comas:

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected],  [email protected],

                                                                                        

                                                    Draft Message ________________________________________________________________________________________

Dear State Legislator,

As an Arizona Veteran, I encourage you to support Senator Gail Griffin and some 15 other Senate and House of Representative co-sponsors of  SB 1443 regarding the Veterans’ Donation Fund and the Military Family Relief Fund (MFRF).  This Bill would establish the current Veterans’ Donation fund as an AZ Tax Credit donation organization for the period 1 Jan 2018 to 31 Dec 2025 to augment its current source of resources for assisting Arizona Veterans of all eras and their families, including post 9-11 Veterans who are now served by the MFRF. It would cap annual donation at one million dollars. It would also terminate tax credit donations to the MFRF at the end of 2017, but would extend the time for disposition of unused funds to post 9-11 Veterans and their families to 31 Dec 2025. The MFRF currently has over 6 million dollars in unused funds. Any unused funds as of 31 Dec 2025 would be transferred for deposit in the Veteran’s Donation Fund as originally planned at the end of 2018. This extension of time will “maintain faith” with those Arizona taxpayers who specifically donated for the purposes of assisting post 9-11 veterans and their families.

Respectfully,

 

Legislative Update 20 January 2017: Changing of the Guard

                       We have no Action Items today

                                           Issues 

                  Click on the underlined titles below: 

NEW CONGRESS BRINGS IN NEW LEADERSHIP CHANGES ON THE HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE

Key changes to HASC leadership

 

 
 

COLA WATCH

Consumer prices inch upward

Follow trends on MOAA’s COLA Watch.

 
 

SCOTUS TO TACKLE USFSPA

Court hears case on divisive issue for first time in decades

The Supreme Court will hear a case on the division of retired military pay in divorces. The ruling could have far-reaching implications.

 
 

HOSPICE RULE FOR MILITARY CHILDREN REQUIRES ENGAGEMENT FROM MILITARY FAMILIES

Due to a bad rule, families are forced to make an impossible choice

 

 

 

 

 

             Collectively We Can and Are Making a Difference

 

FOR ALL, Please feel free to pass these Weekly Legislative Updates on to your group of Veteran Friends –don’t be concerned with possible duplications – if your friends are as concerned as we are with Veteran issues, they probably won’t mind getting this from two or more friendly sources.

.                                                     That’s it for today- Thanks for your continuing help!