Congressman Bob Filner's
Congressional Update

April 2005

In this Issue:

• Fighting Against Privatized Medicare
• Congressional Showdown on Veterans Healthcare
• Tax Relief for Seniors
• "A" From NAACP
• Supporting Crime Fighters in Our Community
• Citizens of the Month
• Promoting Alternative Fuels
• Constituent Mail Bag
• Cool Web Site: Track Your Tax Return!
   

Fighting Against Privatized Medicare

Tax Relief for Seniors

For many retirees, financial security from capital gains is a myth. When selling their homes, very few actually gain the security they anticipated. Reform is needed to help provide financial relief to our nation�s senior citizens.

Legislators originally passed capital gains tax cuts to give seniors a break. The hope was that when people reached retirement age, they could use capital gains from their homes to increase their income. Unfortunately, the way the law was structured led to very minor financial benefits. The law needs to be corrected so that it does what it was intended to do�help provide more income for seniors! To accomplish this, I plan on introducing the "Fair Taxes for Seniors" Act.

Currently the law allows for a $250,000 exemption. For instance, if you bought a house for $200,000 and sold it for $500,000, you would make a profit of $300,000. The government would exempt you from paying taxes on $250,000. You would be required to pay taxes on the remaining $50,000.

My bill provides a one-time increase in the capital gains exemption for sales of homes for citizens who are 50 years and older. The amount exempted would be raised to $500,000 for a single person and $1 million for a couple.

As our senior population continues to grow, it is important that the federal government has the right laws in place so seniors can enjoy their retirement. My "Fair Taxes for Seniors" Act can help.

"A" From NAACP

This last month, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) gave me an "A" grade on its Report Card for the last session of Congress.

I'm honored that the NAACP has recognized my commitment to civil rights and the African American community.

The NAACP Report Card gave high marks to Members of Congress who supported bills to expand the child tax credit for low-income families, increase funding for struggling elementary schools, protect overtime pay for American workers and prevent hate crimes, as well as other important legislation.

Since the summer in the 1960s when I was a Freedom Rider, I have worked throughout our community to combat racial and social injustice. As the 109th Congress gets under way, I will continue fighting alongside the NAACP to assist America's families, empower the disenfranchised and protect the most vulnerable of our citizens.


 

Supporting Crime Fighters in Our Community

Presenting the Crime Fighter of the Month Award to the Citizens Adversity Support Team

Citizens of The Month:

Imperial Valley
The Fabulous Four IVEXPO Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta Staff

For their outstanding work to organize this year�s IVEXPO Mid-Winter Fair and Fiesta, I have named the Expo staff as Imperial Valley's �Citizens of the Month� for April.

Tiffinie Macias, Sandy Salgado, Eddie Jones, and J.D. Jones make up the expert team that organized the Fair. Through a team effort, the staff accomplished ten successful days of education and entertainment for Valley residents. The fair is an annual event that attracts over 90,000 attendees and is considered one of the largest events in the Valley. The mission of the IVEXPO is to provide year-round access to activities that showcase the talents, products and cultural wealth of the communities in the Valley.

The IVExpo staff did an outstanding job of organizing this year�s fair with little resources. They deserve to be recognized for their success.

Presenting the Citizens of the Month Award to the IVEXPO Mid-Winter Fair Organizing Team
 

Promoting Alternative Fuels

Constituent Mail Bag

From Chula Vista:
I'm very concerned about rumors I've heard that some pro-oil industry members of Congress are planning to use a sneaky maneuver to try to open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) for drilling. I urge you to stop any and all attempts to open ANRW for oil drilling.

Congressman Filner replies:
Thank you for contacting me about the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). I wholeheartedly agree with you!

Congress must protect this natural treasure from the oil companies. As you requested, I urged the Budget Committee to remove all ANWR drilling provisions from the budget bill. I believe that increasing fuel economy standards is a much better approach to addressing our Nation�s energy needs. You can count on me to continue fighting against drilling in the ANWR!

Contact My Office

COOL WEB SITE: Track Your Tax Return!

Have you already filed your tax return for the year? Does the Federal Government owe you money? Are you tired of waiting for your return without knowing when it will be sent? This year the IRS has provided a website for you to check the status of your refund while it is processing. Additionally, the IRS website is a great resource for preparing your tax returns, paying your fees, and getting information for your returns.