Military Officer - May 2007 - (Page 47)

chapteractivities military retired pay and SBP payfully exempt active duty, National Guard, and Reserve servicemembers’ ments are taxed. In February 2006, council mempay from state income tax. The legbers stormed the statehouse in St. islative initiative, which had a onePaul and met with key legislators in year limit, passed in 2005 and was both houses. Nine members testiﬁed made permanent in 2006. “We just felt it would be too much in favor of the exemption, including one member who works in Minneif we asked the state legislature to sota but lives in Wisconsin — because exempt retired pay, SBP, and active Wisconsin exempts his military duty pay all at once,” says Col. Gene retired pay. Several executives from Fenstermacher, USAF-Ret., legislahigh-tech companies also testiﬁed tive chair for the council. their businesses could use the techniIn January, chapter and council cal expertise and leadership qualities members headed back to the state military members possess. legislature and resumed their lob“We’ve been working on this bying efforts. They met with repfor six or seven years resentatives from their now, but this year we districts and voiced changed our tactics,” their support for S.B. “We’re says Col. Tom Nesbitt, 1025, which would focusing USA-Ret., past council exempt both military on what president and memretired pay and SBP ber of the Minnesota payments from state the state Chapter. “In the past, taxation. They’re also can gain we’ve focused on what coordinating their by having veterans have earned. lobbying efforts with [its] veter- Now, we’re focusing on other state military what the state can gain organizations, says ans come by having [its] veterans Arizona Council presiback.” come back.” dent CWO4 Robert — Col. Tom Nesbitt, Members say Delker, USA-Ret. USA-Ret. they’ve learned the Fenstermacher has collected informahard way that sometion so he can address times you have to compromise to pass legislation. state and local politicians’ concerns about the cost. “We will track the bill Although they still are working to exempt 100 percent of military rethrough committee actions and be tired pay and SBP, the exemption prepared to support, through petiwould be phased in over a four-year tioning, a compromise version that period. Council members also have will hopefully at least provide some learned it’s beneﬁcial to work with improvement to the current $2,500 other groups that share their legisexemption,” he says. “The idea was to shoot high and be ready to accept ON THE WEB something less, if necessary.” Council members in Minnesota ■ If you’re itching to join the fight for military retired pay exemption and other also are lobbying to exempt military issues, go to www.moaa.org/chapters/loca retired pay and SBP payments from tor.asp to find the chapter nearest you. their state income tax. Currently, all M AY 2 0 0 7 Supporters of Junior ROTC gather outside a San Francisco Board of Education meeting in an attempt to save the program from being cut. According to Stumpf, council members also are monitoring a movement to end the JROTC program at Roosevelt High School in Los Angeles. Opponents of the program there say JROTC exists to recruit students into the armed forces. Many MOAA chapters currently support JROTC programs. Chapter members are encouraged to contact instructors in their area and offer their support, which might include educating members of their community about the value of JROTC. Arizona and Minnesota Councils Lobby for Tax Exemption S tate council members in Arizona and Minnesota are lobbying to exempt military retired pay and Survivor Beneﬁt Plan (SBP) payments from state income tax. In Arizona, up to $2,500 of military retired pay can be exempted from state income tax, and SBP payments are taxed. Council members in Arizona began lobbying to fully exempt retired pay and SBP two years ago but shelved the issue so they could throw their support behind legislation to PHOTO: MICHAEL MACOR/SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE MILITARY OFFICER 47 http://www.moaa.org/chapters/locator.asp http://www.moaa.org/chapters/locator.asp

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Military Officer - May 2007 Contents From the Editor From the President Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Chapter Activities Cover Story: Back Home Capt. David Porter, Pirate Hunter Where Valor Rests Emblems of Courage MOAA Member Services Pages of History Information Exchange Advertising Index Member Books MOAA Calendar MOAA Scholarship Donors Sounding Taps Encore

Military Officer - May 2007

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