Military Officer - November 2007 - (Page 44)

chaptersinaction Chapter Achievements legislation. This year, councils in Arizona, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, and New Mexico were unsuccessful in their efforts to pass legislation that would totally exempt military retired pay from state income tax or raise the amount exempted. Col. Gene Fenstermacher, USAFRet., legislative chair for the Arizona Council of Chapters, says political friction between the Democratic governor and Republican-dominated statehouse thwarted this year’s lobbying efforts. Indiana Council of Chapters president Col. Joe Ryan, USA-Ret., faced a similar scenario. “There was just too much friction,” says Ryan. “We only were able to raise the amount of the exemption from $2,000 to $5,000.” Council leaders in Maryland and Nebraska couldn’t convince their legislators that exempting military retired pay from state income tax wouldn’t result in a budget shortfall, and in Maine, a bill titled “An Act to Encourage Newly Retired Veterans to Reside in Maine” died in the state Senate. Similar legislation in Minnesota never made its way out of committee. In the end, council members learned many of the legislators who had voiced their support were merely giving them lip service. Sun City Center (Fla.) Chapter members, above, saluted Landis, who smiled and returned the salute. Olympia (Wash.) Area Chapter members, left, sponsor programming through Thurston Community Television, which provides public, government, and educational access television to county residents. From the Field: Sun City Center (Fla.) Chapter Three members of the Sun City Center (Fla.) Chapter visited Harry Landis, 107, one of only four surviving World War I veterans, just before Memorial Day. Cmdr. Ed Socha, USN-Ret.; Lt. Col. Paul Wheat Jr., USA-Ret.; and Maj. Jerry Frope, USAF-Ret., say it was an honor and a privilege to meet Landis, one of the Great War’s last remaining veterans. Olympia (Wash.) Area Chapter For the past three years, the Olympia (Wash.) Area Chapter has sponsored “Army Newswatch,” a news Continuing the fight Despite these setbacks, council leaders say they’re ready to tackle the issue again next year. Persistence and strong grassroots support are key when it comes to passing legislation. Support your state council’s legislative efforts by joining a local MOAA chapter. To ﬁnd a chapter near you, visit www.moaa.org/chapters/locator. 44 MILITARY OFFICER NOVEMBER 2007 program produced at Fort Lewis, Wash. Chapter members recently began sponsoring a new program titled “In the Fight,” which showcases the work of troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan. And on Sept. 8, more than a dozen chapter members participated in the ﬁfth annual Military Family Support March in Lacey, Wash. The march has raised approximately $150,000 to help military families in the past four years. MO — Contributors are Col. Lee Lange II, USMC-Ret., director; Col. Barry Wright, USA-Ret., deputy director, Council and Chapter Affairs; and Kris Ann Hegle. For submission information, see page 18. http://www.moaa.org/chapters/locator

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Military Officer - November 2007

Military Officer - November 2007 Contents From the Editor President’s Page Your Views MOAA Directory Rapid Fire Washington Scene Chapters in Action Financial Forum Ask the Doctor Cover Story: Commanding the Corps With Love, From Home Financial Guidebook Financial Tuneups Banking on Your Time Pages of History MOAA Scholarship Recipients Faces of MOAA MOAA Scholarship Donors Member Books Advertising Index MOAA Calendar Sounding Taps MOAA Member Services Encore

Military Officer - November 2007

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