Burns votes to protect taxpayers, exempt federal payments from taxes
Legislation passed today would exempt stimulus checks, federal loans from state and local taxes
Rep. Frank Burns May 4, 2020 | 4:02 PM
HARRISBURG, May 4 – Continuing his efforts to inject common sense into the state’s coronavirus response and protect the taxpayers of Cambria County, state Rep. Frank Burns, D-Cambria, today voted to pass legislation that would exempt federal stimulus payments and Paycheck Protection Program loans to small businesses from state and local taxation.
“At a time when so many people are hurting and every dollar counts, why in the world would state and local governments tax people’s federal stimulus checks?” Burns said. “Only the government would think it makes sense to tax payments designed to help families who are suffering due to government action. I’m pushing for this bill to swiftly become law because we should not allow the bureaucrats to dip their hands even further into our families’ pockets.”
Additionally, the bill would allow charities and nonprofits to restructure their investment incomes to help them weather the coronavirus storm and make loan forgiveness for the federal Paycheck Protection Program loans tax exempt.
“I’ve fought for local small business owners by calling for the governor to lift his restrictions on their operations provided they do so in a safe manner, and today I again voted to give them a hand,” Burns said. “Also, in this time of economic turmoil, it is critical that our nonprofits and charities stay afloat to help their local communities and families in times of need. I worked with legislators of both parties to get this legislation across the finish line in the House.”
Over the last week, Burns has called on the governor to move Cambria County into the yellow zone to allow businesses to reopen, voted to reopen garden centers, and pushed to allow all businesses to conduct curbside pickup or delivery, noting that if the state-owned liquor stores can do so safely, so can every other local business.