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Supporting North Carolina's Students and Teachers

March 15, 2011

Dear Friends,

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As someone who has volunteered in the classroom for the past 30 years, I understand that it is of paramount importance to this country’s future to ensure that our children have the knowledge and skills they need to compete in a global economy. Helping our children choose healthy eating options and supporting teachers with their classroom expenses are but two of the many efforts that I have supported.

Healthy Kids=Success in the Classroom

Nutrition is a key component to students' health, physical fitness, and success in the classroom. I was pleased to recently visit Elizabethtown Primary School to speak with the students about healthy eating.

During my visit to the school, I spoke to an assembly of students about the importance of making healthy food choices and thanked the food service workers for their efforts in providing nutritious meals and join students for lunch in the school cafeteria.

In addition, I recently voted to support the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act, which supports healthy food options for our children’s school lunches. This bill provides $4.5 billion in new investments over the next 10 years, all of which is fully paid and does not add a single dime to the deficit.

As Co-Chairman of the Congressional Caucus on Youth Sports and as a member of the Fitness Caucus, I will continue to support initiatives aimed at improving the physical fitness and nutrition of our nation’s students.

Helping Teachers with Out-of-Pocket Expenses

As education budgets continue to face major shortfalls, it is important that we support our teachers that are reaching into their own pockets to provide the best education to their students. According to a 2010 National School Supply and Equipment Association Retail Awareness Study, teachers spent a total of $3.5 billion of their own money on supplies for their classrooms during the 2009-10 school year. This breaks down to an average of $936 per teacher for both supplies and additional instruction materials. As education budgets continue to face major shortfalls, that amount is only expected to increase.

Beginning in 2002 the IRS allowed for an above-the-line deduction for classroom expenses of up to $250. The educator expense deduction allows teachers to write off some expenses that they incur to provide books, supplies, and other equipment and materials for their classrooms.

It is important to me that we prevent this important tax credit from expiring this December. That is why I am a co-sponsor of the “Teacher Tax Deduction Act of 2011” which will not only extend the credit but also raise the limit to $500, helping our teachers who give out of their own pockets to support our students. America’s teachers deserve our renewed appreciation for their commitment to educating future generations.

Sincerely,



U.S. Congressman Mike McIntyre
Representing the 7th District of North Carolina
 
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