Under the Dome: Federal front 

Home Mortgage Aid Bill

On July 30, President Bush signed the Home Mortgage Aid Bill (H.R. 3221) into law. The final version of the bill did not include a previous provision that would have been harmful for school districts. The original bill included a provision that would have restricted taxpayers from claiming the standard tax deduction on their federal income tax returns if a local jurisdiction raised property taxes between April 2008 and April 2009. This provision would have limited local and state authority over property taxes and created a number of serious problems for homeowners, as well as for local governing authorities. CSBA members began contacting their members of Congress about the problematic language in April. Thanks in part to their advocacy efforts and those of school board members across the country, the House removed the provision, and the Senate voted to approve the House’s amended version of the bill.

Second supplemental funding bill

The second supplemental appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2008, drafted in the Senate, includes $400 million for the Secure Rural Schools Act and $850 million for school construction. The bill would also extend the Secure Rural Schools program for one year. Constituents are urged to contact Sen. Barbara Boxer, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and their congressional representatives this month to urge their strong support of the upcoming supplemental appropriations bill, also referred to as the stimulus package.