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To: Wisconsin's Land Trust
Community
From: Althea Dotzour, policy coordinator, Gathering Waters Conservancy
Re: Tax Bill Agreement - Conservation Provisions Still Alive
I received the following post from the Land Trust
Alliance today about the status of the Federal tax incentives.
While the tax incentives were not included in
the just-passed tax reconciliation bill, they may still be included
in a second tax bill. LTA is asking that you contact your Reps.
Gathering Waters has responded by contacting Wisconsin's delegation.
See our letter here.
Gathering Waters has contacted Wisconsin's delegation
about this issue, and we would like you to make a call to your Reps
as well. Look up your Representative's
contact information here. If you call your Representative, please
let me know. It helps me coordinate our work if I have a better
sense of who has already been contacted. Give me a call at 251-9131
x13 with questions.
For more information and a copy of Gathering Waters'
letter to our delegation, visit
our Federal Tax Incentives webpage.
Thanks!
*****************************************
Last night, a House and Senate conference committee reached agreement
on a tax reconciliation bill. This bill does NOT contain
any of the charities-related provisions that were in the Senate's
version of the bill.
Those provisions are still very much alive
-- including the expanded incentive for conservation easement donations*
the Senate approved last fall -- but a final decision on
them has been put off to later, as part of a second tax bill.
We are optimistic that the conservation incentive
and reforms can be included in the later bill, but the details of
the bill still haven't been agreed upon. We need your help
to make sure that the conservation incentive and reforms make their
way into the second bill!
Please call you members of Congress today and
tell them:
- You were disappointed to learn that the land
conservation provisions from the Senate-passed reconciliation
bill would not be included in the final legislation.
- You understand that the Congress will do a
second tax package very soon.
- Ask your member of Congress to do all he or
she can to see that the conservation provisions the Senate passed
last fall -- both a new incentive for donations of conservation
easements, and reforms tightening the rules for appraisals of
gifts and for historic preservation easements -- are included
in the second tax bill.
- The conservation easement incentive would
be a tremendous benefit to your community and your conservation
work.
- You would be happy to provide more information.
(Download
a fact sheet to email to your Congressional offices)
I hope you can make a call today. While the second
tax bill may take weeks to complete, the sooner Members of Congress
take action, the more likely the conservation incentive will be
included. (More
information on contacting Congress)
Thank you for all you have done so far! Your actions
are critical as we enter the home stretch.
Sincerely,
Rand Wentworth
President
Land Trust Alliance
*The bill passed by the Senate last fall expanded
the incentive for conservation easement donations to make it fairer
to modest-income landowners.
To
learn more about this issue, visit the Land Trust Alliance's
policy website »
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