Rabbi Yitz Frank has asked that we visit http://agudathisrael.org/call-congress-today-and-urge-them-to-keep-these-key-provisions-in-tax-bill/ to take action on this.

As the House and Senate will soon meet to iron out differences between their respective versions of the tax bill, we turn to our members and friends to help weigh in on issues of great importance to the Orthodox Jewish community.

We are asking that you contact your Senator and Representative to have them urge the Conference Committee to:

(1) Retain the Qualified Tuition Reduction provision, which provides tax benefits to teachers and other school administrators.  Elimination of QTR would not only have serious tax consequences for them, but it could bump them into tax brackets that would force some of them to lose certain social service benefits. While our financially strapped yeshivos often find it difficult to offer competitive salaries, this benefit makes it easier for them to still hire high quality educational and executive staff. And, it is ultimately a benefit for everyone in the school and community, as it helps keeps already exorbitant tuition costs down.

(2) Retain the expansion of 529 accounts to K-12, which will allow tax free withdrawals from education savings accounts for private school tuition and other expenses. This benefit will be of help to segments of our schools’ parent bodies.  It is a good and important first step that can be built upon on the state and federal levels. While it is in both bills, it was narrowly passed in the Senate and has come under fierce attack by anti-school choice advocates.  So it is important that the Conference Committee hears from us.

By clicking on the take action button below you will be directed to our advocacy portal where you can call or email your elected officials. Please make it personal and edit as you see fit.

Please note that Agudath Israel has been speaking out on several “individual/family” aspects of the tax bills that could have detrimental impact on substantial portions of the Orthodox community, including the possible elimination or limitation on deductions for personal exemptions, state and local taxes, medical expenses, etc.  We will continue to monitor and speak out on those issues and possibly provide further updates and alerts on them as we communicate with the Conference Committee.