Friday, Nov. 06, 2009

Letters 11/6

Cash for new cars

The Cash for Clunkers program for new cars may have ended, but the IRS wants to remind taxpayers that many people might overlook another special break available.

If you buy a new vehicle this year, there's a special federal tax deduction available that can help you save money, in some cases hundreds of dollars. This tax break will allow people who buy a new vehicle in 2009 to deduct the sales and excise taxes they pay when they file their tax return next year. The tax deduction is available on the 2009 federal tax return even for those who claim the standard deduction.

The deduction is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and applies to taxes paid on up to $49,500 of the purchase price for qualified new cars, light trucks, motorcycles or motor homes. Generally, vehicles weighing 8,500 pounds or less qualify. This means that most new cars and many new trucks will qualify. New motor homes qualify regardless of weight.

Buyers are entitled to a partial deduction if they earn between $125,000 and $135,000 ($250,000 and $260,000 for joint filers). The deduction is eliminated for those who earn over these amounts.

To qualify the vehicle must be new and purchased in 2009 after Feb. 16 and no later than Dec. 31. There is still time left but the clock is ticking.

More information is available at IRS.gov/Recovery

Terry L. Lemons

Director of communications, IRS Chicago

Follow the money

Concerns that the stimulus programs haven't been working have been answered with the comment that only 10 percent of the money has been distributed. Then where is the money? My answer is: Just wait till we near the mid-term election, that money will surface in every battleground state in our nation to be used as Democrat's re-election campaign funds.

It will be bolstered by the activity of the ACORN people's 4 billion in stimuli grants to help disrupt elections as they have done in the past.

As I wrote in a letter to this forum earlier this year, politicians, being what they are, use the cover of emergency to spend funds as never intended. Is the above looking forward, with foolish thoughts? We will see.

Thomas R. Hall

Swansea

Stick to the issues

Many Democrats claim that Republicans are closet racists for opposing President Barack Obama. This serves as a method to end all discussion. If a Republican points out the failure of the Canadian health care system, he is labeled a white supremacist for disagreeing with Obama's plan.

When will the Democrats learn to see beyond the color of a person's skin and into the issues? Government-run heath care isn't a matter of race, it is just a bad idea.

If you think I'm wrong, argue your points against me, don't call me names.

I didn't see any Republicans in power calling Democrats sexist as they heaped insults on Sarah Palin. Let's all try to act like adults.

Drew Waldram

Collinsville

Proceed with care

Suppose tomorrow a single payer government health care system would be put into effect. How soon after would tragic anecdotal letters begin to appear on these pages chronicling mistreatment, delayed treatment or palliative care substituted for an advanced pharmaceutical and technological regimen because of age, cost or the progress of a disease? Give Sarah Palin some credit.

I fear the cracks in the current system will be replaced by new ones: the cost of those "greedy" HMO/insurance executives by another bloated, malfunctioning government bureaucracy, and those profits by another lock box into which Congress can stuff IOUs.

How soon will the very wealthy begin to create their own private hospitals and clinics, attracting the finest medical minds and re-establishing a two-tiered health care system.

How soon will health care districts appear, like the public school districts, initiating a property levy and wasting taxpayer money by double-dipping political hacks who connive their way onto a governing board? Caregivers will be hired for who they know and not what they know. And what of the paperwork needed should one become afflicted outside their district?

Nobody wants to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. As eligibility for Medicare continues to be pushed back, everyone will have some pre-existing condition.

Most all agree the current health care delivery system needs revision. I hold no sympathy for health care insurance companies. The ball always seems to be in their court.

Let's be extremely cautious with changes we adopt.

Ed Budnicki

Collinsville

If it's good for us ...

Later in the evening, the Senate panel unanimously adopted an amendment by Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley and Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning, both Republicans, to require lawmakers, their aides, and all other federal employees to buy their insurance from health insurance exchanges created by the legislation after 2013.

If we, the people, want to ensure Congress passes a good health care plan for the people as a whole, this is what we need. If lawmakers have to live with the legislation they pass, I'm sure it will be adequate regardless of whether it was proposed by a Democrat or Republican.

People who scream that the Republicans don't offer alternatives only have to look so far as to the horde of amendments they have filed. Because they are the minority power in Congress, proposing legislation and getting it out of committee is very difficult.

Patrick Hellmann

Salem

Lousy judgment

The U.S. Senate recently voted 83-7 to stop the use of federal funds to ACORN. Two of the seven "no" votes came from our Sens. Dick Durbin and Roland Burris.

I don't know about you, but an organization that is caught on tape providing advice to a "pimp" and "prostitute" on ways to fund an underage brothel and cheat the IRS does not deserve my tax money.

I urge people to vote these crooked Chicago politicians out of office when the time comes.

Micah Turner

O'Fallon

Well, Cardinal fans, another season has ended. The season didn't end exactly the way we wanted it to end.

A lot of Card fans are asking what happened to the team in September. After careful study, I think I know what happened. After the trades and arrival of new players, our manager, Tony La Russa, made a costly change to the starting line-up. For some unknown reason he started the pitcher batting ninth.

Anyone with any knowledge of baseball knows the starting pitcher should always bat eighth. I believe that the September "funk" was caused because La Russa moved the pitcher back to the ninth position.

Well, maybe next year he will change the lineup back to "normal."

Of course, he could bat "Big Mac-Roid" eighth.

Tom Grady

Granite City

Struck out with hire

Thinking that Cardinals Manager Tony La Russa believes Albert Pujols needs hitting advice from Mark McGwire really makes me angry, and I'm not even a Cardinals fan.

Charlotte Kilzer

Cahokia