Vote YES on Question One to Protect Charities & Churches
Bill Beardsley Urges a Yes Vote on Question One
Cites Potential Impact on Churches and Charities
June 3, 2010, Contact: Michael Pajak, (207) 807-0994, michael@billbeardsley.com
For Immediate Release:
Ellsworth, ME – Former president and CEO of Husson University and candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination Bill Beardsley encourages Maine voters to consider the potential impact on churches and charities if they fail to overturn the flawed tax law on Tuesday.
“The tax ‘reform’ that was passed by the Legislature eliminates individual tax deductions for donations to churches and other charitable organizations,” Beardsley said. “The fallback position of a household tax credit phases out over time and eventually disappears. This subtle shift threatens to erode Maine’s long tradition of neighboring and private, personal charitable contributions.
“By voting yes on Question One Maine people would be declaring, Stop! Time out! This legislation is not tax relief. It is merely a complicated tax shift. The ramifications are not fleshed out and the unintended consequences are unclear. Most of the focus has been on the bewildering implications for the new sales taxes on labor and services. I suggest we must give equal attention to Maine’s charitable, non-profit community.
“For these reasons I encourage non-profits, such as churches, to consider how the new tax system could affect their institutions in terms of donations. Real tax reform would not threaten such an integral part of the fabric of Maine communities. By repealing this law, the Legislature would have a chance to finally get tax relief right.”
Beardsley is a resident of Ellsworth. His wife, Betsy, a Maine boat builder’s daughter, earned her doctorate at the University of Maine and has been a teacher and principal throughout her career. They have three married children and four grandchildren.
Very interesting! Every time I read or hear more about this tax “reform,” it gets scarier.
Nate LaClaire
June 5, 2010