Tax Relief for School Librarians?

By Staff -- School Library Journal, 3/1/2005

It sounds too good to be true, but Republican representative Ron Paul of Texas recently introduced the Professional Educators Tax Relief Act, a bill designed to "help raise educators' take-home pay by reducing educators' taxes." The bill provides $1,000 tax credits to "counselors, librarians, and all school personnel involved in any aspect of the K–12 academic program."

Recognizing that educators are often "underappreciated and underpaid," the proposal aims to let educators "know that the American people and the Congress respect their work" and "encourages highly qualified people to enter, and remain in, education." "[Paul] simply wanted to, in effect, give teachers a pay increase by reducing their federal taxes, and librarians were included," says Paul's spokesman, Jeff Deist.

What's the likelihood the legislation will pass? Don't hold your breath. "Hundreds are introduced and only a few ever pass as stand-alone bills," Deist says. Nevertheless, the bill has three cosponsors, and librarians are urged to contact their congressmen to gather more support.