One reason that retirees can get elected officials' attention is their willingness to place the pension tax issue above all others when they go to vote. Baliles' plan was shelved almost immediately and legislators went to work on their own plan to broaden the tax exemption to give many federal and private pensioners at least some tax relief. (D-Botetourt), one of few members of the General Assembly who has been willing to criticize the retirees publicly. Many federal pensioners receive far more than that, and their influence "worked on a clear-cut majority" of legislators, "there's no question about that," said Sen. The union wanted federal retirees to pay no state income taxes on their pensions Baliles proposed exempting all retirees - private sector as well as government - whose annual pensions are less than $16,000. Baliles under which wealthier pensioners would have continued to be taxed. There are more than 200,000 federal pensioners in Virginia, and according to several legislators the lobbying muscle of the union and similar groups was primarily responsible for the quick death of a proposal Monday by Gov. The issue erupted late last month when the Supreme Court ruled that states cannot tax federal retirement benefits while not taxing those of state and local employees, which was the practice in Virginia and more than 20 other states. Each morning during this week's special legislative session to work out a new formula for taxing pension benefits, retired workers have descended on the capitol by the dozens, powerful reminders to the senators and delegates of the political consequences this issue holds.
And they came to the state capitol today to make certain their representatives in the General Assembly knew it. They were mad: red-in-the-face mad, expletive-deleted mad, we're-not-going-to-stand-for-this mad. The Northern Virginians in this caravan from the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE) weren't patient. Retired federal workers, a busload full, bowed their heads in silence as the minister asked for divine assistance, including the strength "to be patient with those who don't understand." That was asking too much. John Haynes started the morning with a prayer.
0 kommentar(er)
