Adjust Text Size

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 22, 2009

Finance Committee OKs Expanded Check-Off Box Option

Would allow charitable contributions to be added to income tax remittance

The Senate Finance Committee today approved legislation allowing charitable contributions to be added to income tax remittance payments, according to Committee Chairman Senator Pat Browne (R-16).

Senate Bill 165, introduced by Senator Robert Tomlinson (R-6), would allow taxpayers to make a contribution to Breast and Cervical Cancer Research, Wild Resource Conservation, the Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness Trust Fund, Juvenile Diabetes Cure Research and Military Family Relief Assistance when they are remitting payment due for taxes at the time of filing their state income tax forms. Current law only allows a "check off" donation to these charities when a refund is due to the taxpayer.

Senate Bill 207, introduced by Senator Wayne Fontana (D-42), would require that employers notify all employees that they may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) within one week of the time that the employer provides an annual wage summary, including a form W-2 or a Form 1099 to any employee.

Senate Bill 601, introduced by Senator Browne, amends the Local Tax Enabling Act, to clarify when a political subdivision may levy a business privilege tax. "This bill addresses questions that have arisen as a result of a December 2007 Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision in which the Court reversed its previous position that a municipality cannot tax an entity that lacks a permanent base of operations within its borders," Senator Browne said. "As a result, there is now some ambiguity with respect to a local taxing jurisdiction's ability to tax any business contained within it."

Contact:

Stacey Connors
(717) 787-1349