CNN reports tax break for cycling commuters

Hard to believe there's anything but war coverage, but just saw CNN report about the efforts to
extend the tax break currently given to car poolers and mass-transit user to those who commute by
cycling. This was part of the platform presented by BikesBelong/League of American Bicyclists in the
Washington DC Bike Summit March 5th-7th.

If cycling can break through the clutter of war coverage, who knows, we may have a chance!

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

 

Here in Old Blighty, if using bike for work journeys, you can claim mileage - can't remember how
much exactly, but it's useful.

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

 

> Here in Old Blighty, if using bike for work journeys, you can claim
mileage -
> can't remember how much exactly, but it's useful.

"Old Blighty?" I'm thinking it sounds like an English expression, but could be *way* off...

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

 

In article <[email protected]>, Mike Jacoubowsky
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Hard to believe there's anything but war coverage, but just saw CNN report about the efforts to
>extend the tax break currently given to car poolers and mass-transit user to those who commute by
>cycling. This was part of the platform presented by BikesBelong/League of American Bicyclists in
>the Washington DC Bike Summit March 5th-7th.
>
>If cycling can break through the clutter of war coverage, who knows, we may have a chance!
>
>--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

Congressman Earl Blumenaur (sp?) of Portland, OR is pushing this. He's a long time cyclist.

-frank
--

 

> Congressman Earl Blumenaur (sp?) of Portland, OR is pushing this. He's a long time cyclist.

The Congressman is quite a character. He has ridden his bicycle to his office in DC every single day
he's been there, regardless of weather. And, he wears a legband everywhere he goes, never removing
it during speeches etc. It's part of who he is.

Earl and Jim Oberstar (also a Congressman, as well as head of the Transportation committee) are the
two best friends of cyclists we have in
DC. Great people.

--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com

"Frank Miles" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, Mike Jacoubowsky
> <[email protected]> wrote:
> >Hard to believe there's anything but war coverage, but just saw CNN
report
> >about the efforts to extend the tax break currently given to car poolers
and
> >mass-transit user to those who commute by cycling. This was part of the platform presented by
> >BikesBelong/League of American Bicyclists in the Washington DC Bike Summit March 5th-7th.
> >
> >If cycling can break through the clutter of war coverage, who knows, we
may
> >have a chance!
> >
> >--Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles http://www.ChainReactionBicycles.com
>
> Congressman Earl Blumenaur (sp?) of Portland, OR is pushing this. He's a long time cyclist.
>
> -frank
> --

 

> If cycling can break through the clutter of war coverage, who knows, we
may
> have a chance!
>
> --Mike-- Chain Reaction Bicycles

Unfortunately, I saw a lot of what were being called "cyclists" blocking the George
Washington Bridge during one of the DC area protests last week. I saw more "cyclists"
protesting in the SF area.

Bob C.

 

Mike Jacoubowsky at [email protected] wrote on 3/23/03 7:21 PM:

>> Congressman Earl Blumenaur (sp?) of Portland, OR is pushing this. He's a long time cyclist.
>
> The Congressman is quite a character. He has ridden his bicycle to his office in DC every single
> day he's been there, regardless of weather. And, he wears a legband everywhere he goes, never
> removing it during speeches etc. It's part of who he is.
>
> Earl and Jim Oberstar (also a Congressman, as well as head of the Transportation committee) are
> the two best friends of cyclists we have in
> DC. Great people.

Here's the wire story from a few days ago:

Congresman Eyes Tax Breaks for Cyclists

Mar 22, 7:47 PM (ET) By MATTHEW DALY

WASHINGTON (AP) - It's a paradox that has long puzzled cyclists.

Commuters who burn a precious resource - oil - to drive to work get a tax break. Those who use their
own muscle power to pedal bikes to the office do not.

With the war in Iraq and gas prices soaring, cycling advocates think they have found an answer that
both parties can embrace: give bikers a tax break.

"Why should we discriminate in terms of tax treatment for somebody who is not polluting the air, not
causing traffic congestion and not taking away from our petroleum reserves?" asked Rep. Earl
Blumenauer, D-Ore.

Biking to work is cheaper than driving or taking a bus, he added, "but it's not free."

Blumenauer, 54, founder and chairman of the bipartisan Congressional Bike Caucus, has biked to his
Capitol Hill office for years.

Now he hopes to give cycling commuters the same tax advantages available to those who drive or use
mass transit.

Currently, employers may offer a commuting tax-exemption benefit totaling $180 for qualified parking
plans or $100 for transit and van-pool expenses. The Bike Commuter Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Mark
Foley, R-Fla., would extend those benefits to workers who commute by bicycle.

With gas prices now at $2 per gallon or even higher, "the notion of energy conservation should have
some broader appeal," Blumenauer said.

Budget officials estimate the bike bill could cost as much as $114 million a year in lost revenue -
a fraction of the $3.7 billion annual cost of tax breaks for drivers and mass transit users.

Cycling long has been popular in Oregon, where hundreds of miles of bike boulevards, paths and lanes
take commuters and casual cyclists through leafy neighborhoods, along the Columbia River and across
bridges spanning the Willamette River.

But cycling advocates say passion for pedaling has gone national.

According to the League of American Bicyclists, nearly 1 million U.S. workers commute regularly by
bicycle. The federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics lists bicycles second only to cars as a
preferred mode of transportation.

Biking's growing popularity was evident during a National Bike Summit this month in Washington.
Cyclists from 47 states converged on the city for three days; it was the biggest turnout in the
event's three-year history.

The summit's popularity coincides with growth of the bike caucus. The bipartisan group, established
in 1996, now includes more than 100 House members. The Senate has started its own group with more
than a dozen members so far.

Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., a caucus member, calls a cycling a key part of his life.

"It's my relaxation, it's my personal therapy and it's my fitness," said Oberstar, 68.

It also is good public policy, he says. In the past decade, spurred largely by the bike lobby,
Congress has more than quadrupled spending on bike projects - to nearly $2 billion. That has helped
build almost 20,000 miles of bike trails, put bike racks on buses and establish biker safety
programs nationwide.

The Bike Commuter Act would be their biggest accomplishment yet, advocates say.

The bike caucus has sponsored the bill several years in a row, but Blumenauer said he is optimistic
this may be the year.

"The momentum is building," he said, "and it's the right thing to do."

---

On the Net:

League of American Bicyclists: http://www.bikeleague.org

 

On Mon, 24 Mar 2003 21:05:00 -0500, psycholist <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Unfortunately, I saw a lot of what were being called "cyclists" blocking the George Washington
> Bridge during one of the DC area protests last week. I saw more "cyclists" protesting in the
> SF area.

What does blocking the George Washington Bridge have to do with DC ?!?!

The George Washington Bridge crosses the Hudson River from NJ to NY.

DC is between MD and VA and had the Potomac River as a border.

If you don't get your geography any better I won't ride on any ride you "lead".

--
Michael Vore, W3CCV M-ASA [Ka8 (MU)] WHIRL (Burley LIMBO) http://mike.vorefamily.net/ohmywoodness
<-Custom Woodworking http://mike.vorefamily.net/thewoodenradio <-The weblog

 

"Jim Edgar" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:BAA5CAE3.3BBD2%[email protected]...

> Biking's growing popularity was evident during a National
Bike Summit this
> month in Washington. Cyclists from 47 states converged on
the city for three
> days; it was the biggest turnout in the event's three-year
history.

I wish I had known about this! It would have been a great excuse for a trip to the big city!

Anyway, thanks for your post.

Matt O.

 

Mike Vore <[email protected]> wrote:

>On Mon, 24 Mar 2003 21:05:00 -0500, psycholist <[email protected]> wrote:
>>
>> Unfortunately, I saw a lot of what were being called "cyclists" blocking the George Washington
>> Bridge during one of the DC area protests last week. I saw more "cyclists" protesting in the
>> SF area.
>
>What does blocking the George Washington Bridge have to do with DC ?!?!
>
>The George Washington Bridge crosses the Hudson River from NJ to NY.
>
>DC is between MD and VA and had the Potomac River as a border.
>
>If you don't get your geography any better I won't ride on any ride you "lead".

Naaaah, you just don't understand how FAR traffic can back up in the northeast! ;-)

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles http://www.habcycles.com Home of the $695 ti frame