Home»»
Saturday’s morning cartoon shows on ABC in the '70s were punctuated with clever public service announcements from “Schoolhouse Rocks,” which promoted good grammar, and indoctrinated grade schoolers with civics lessons, as in “Conjunction Junction,” and “I’m Just a Bill.” So catchy, those 60-second cartoons were often more popular that the network shows like “H.R. Puffenstuff” and “The Archies,” that they aired on. Those "Schoolhouse Rocks" pop songs have stayed with me, and are as familiar as the “I before E" saying.
With a slow economy, the National Retail Foundation (NRF) has asked Congress to renew bill H.R. 6049, which would make it easier (cheaper) for retail stores to remodel. At present, the House has already passed legislation that would extend the prior Bill, which was passed four years ago. That bill allows retailers to recoup some losses over a period of 15 years, as opposed to the former stymieing 39 years! The NRF has long debated that the old 39-year provision was unrealistic, meaning that without the benefits that accompany the bill, some stores might look today more like they did 39 years ago, which was 1969. Actually, come to think of it, that seems sort of groovy to me. (I’m being facetious). The NRF’s SVP for Government Relations, Steve Pfister, reports that retailers tend to remodel stores every 5 to 7 years in order to maintain customer interest and compete with newer stores. I wonder where he shops.
The bill is sponsored by the Ways and Means Committee, and if passed would retroactively renew about three dozen tax provisions that expired in 2007, along with energy related tax incentives that are due to expire this year. If passed, the bill would offer tax incentives for retailers to use solar energy on their roofs and warehouses. I’m all for that! Another principal component would give taxpayers in states were there is no State Income Tax, the option of deducting state and local taxes from on their Federal Tax Returns, thus potentionally giving them additional dollars to spend.
What do you think of passing this bill? Call your Congressman, am I dating myself…or Congresswoman… Congressperson?
--Ron Knoth, Guest Blogger
Comments