Latest news with #HouseBill21
Business Journals
20-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Texas bill to curb abuses of affordable housing tax breaks moves a step from becoming law
House Bill 21 would sound a death knell for so-called 'traveling" housing finance corporations — a derisive term for entities located hundreds of miles away that, in exchange for large fees from developers, use their legal status to remove properties from the tax rolls of local jurisdictions by buying them and then designating them as affordable housing, often without making them any more affordable.
Business Journals
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Journals
Texas Legislature OKs plan to curb abuses of affordable housing tax breaks
House Bill 21 would sound a death knell for so-called 'traveling" housing finance corporations — a derisive term for entities located hundreds of miles away that, in exchange for large fees from developers, use their legal status to remove properties from the tax rolls of local jurisdictions by buying them and then designating them as affordable housing, often without making them any more affordable.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee lawmakers had a real shot to repeal the grocery tax, but they blew it
After an election supposedly about grocery prices, Gov. Bill Lee and Republican lawmakers are laughing at Tennessee families struggling with among the highest grocery taxes in the country. In 2025, like they did in 2024, Rep. Aftyn Behn, D-Nashville, and Sen. Charlane Oliver, D-Nashville, proposed ending the grocery tax without sacrificing state and local services; they would have achieved this by closing corporate tax loopholes. But the measure did not get a vote prior to the end of the Tennessee General Assembly session on April 22. In 2024, instead of cutting grocery taxes, Republicans passed an unprecedented corporate giveaway, refunding up to three years of franchise taxes already paid by corporations, in addition to a $400 million recurring tax break. So far, more than $1.2 billion has been refunded to over 47,000 businesses. Much was made of Republicans introducing their own grocery tax repeal this year, but despite that bill, Governor Lee's budget again did not include any relief for families. Perhaps that is because unlike Representative Behn and Senator Oliver's bill (House Bill 2/Senate Bill 2), the Republican proposal (House Bill 21/Senate Bill 1367) was, in fact, a joke. In the Senate, committee Chairman Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, even referred to Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson,'s proposal to end grocery taxes as a "pipe dream," and everyone had a good chuckle. It's hard to see the humor in a population that cannot afford to eat properly. Then they introduced a bill they have no intention of passing just to get some positive headlines and make Tennesseans think they cared. And then they laughed about it, on camera, because they think you aren't paying attention. They are laughing at Tennessee families struggling while they give away billions to their corporate donors. We are told Tennessee is a low tax state, but in reality it is only a low tax state for big corporations. The Economic Policy Institute reports that more than 60% of companies filing in Tennessee pay zero in the state corporate income tax. That includes 24% of companies that report over $1 billion in revenue to the federal government, according to the Tennessee Department of Revenue as reported by Tennessee Senate Democrats. One reason could be that Tennessee is one of only 17 states that doesn't require "combined reporting" for corporations, allowing them to exploit onshore and offshore loopholes. While corporations get a free ride, Tennessee families are punished by being one of only 10 states that tax groceries. Mom was a Special Education teacher certified in five areas. Throughout her career, she taught children of all ages and in various schools. Like many of her fellow educators, she was deeply concerned about students who came to school hungry, knowing that proper nutrition is essential for learning. Many teachers, including Mom, often used their own money to stock snacks in the classroom to help meet their students' basic needs. According to the MIT Living Wage calculator, the wage needed for basic necessities like food, housing, transportation, etc., for an adult with no children in Tennessee is $45,735, but according to the Census the per capita income for that person in Tennessee is $37,866. For a family with two children where both parents work, the income needed for necessities increases to $84,229, but the Census median household income is $67,097 −a more than $17,000 deficit. That means that more than half of the people in our state − or more than 3.5 million people − are struggling, including many two-income households. None of the numerous corporate tax breaks over the past decade at the state and federal level have helped Tennessee families, nor did the $500 million in state money spent on a new Titans stadium. What have Tennessee families gotten? Retaliation against cities and towns who try to be responsive to the needs of their residents, an all-out assault on our public schools, and relentless bullying of vulnerable communities. We deserve better. We must join together across our differences, and demand better. Diane Moore is a retired Chattanooga city worker and TN4All volunteer. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Grocery tax repeal should have been a priority for Tennessee | Opinion
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Yahoo
Woman works with Alabama lawmakers to make bill prohibiting sex offenders from becoming first responders
COLBERT COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — A woman from Cherokee has a story to tell. Kinsley Smith was 15 years old when she was recovering from a shoulder surgery that turned into a nightmare. 'I was completely incapacitated because I was on the medicines. I had a nerve block, couldn't feel my shoulder at all, I was on pain medicines, I was just completely vulnerable and that was the first time he had taken advantage of me,' Smith said. 📲 to stay updated on the go. 📧 to have news sent to your inbox. Smith was sexually assaulted numerous times by a man her mother was married to. When she reported the incident, police took the man into custody within two days, and later was sent to prison. 'He was facing 20 years but only served three or four,' Smith said. That man was released and returned to work at a volunteer fire department in Colbert County. 'He's doing that, I was vulnerable, he took advantage of me at my most vulnerable, first responders see people in their most vulnerable states so how much access does he have to people who are just like me now?' Smith said. So, Smith did some research and realized there was no law in Alabama prohibiting registered sex offenders from joining volunteer fire departments. Therefore, Smith created House Bill 21. Alabama State Rep. Kerry Underwood told News 19 that no one had thought of this bill and that it is needed in our state. 'The most targeted area is going to be the volunteers because they just accept a volunteer. They don't have the resources to spend time and money and effort to do background checks,' Underwood said. 'If someone comes and says I want to be apart, they say okay here's your training let's go, it's just an unintended loophole that no one thought of.' If passed into law, it would require registered sex offenders to disclose their past if they are trying to join a volunteer fire department. If it is later discovered they lied, they could face felony charges. 'I'm hoping to see a drastic decline in the predators in volunteer fire departments, I've heard of two right off the top of my head, him included. Also would like to see a decline in sex offenses against children possibly,' Smith said. H-B 27 has passed unanimously and will now go through the Senate. If passed, it will go into effect this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
