E-News

Press Release

Welcome to the April edition of E-News.

As you know, April 17 is the deadline this year for filing and paying your federal income taxes. The ancient Egyptians began collecting taxes as early as 3000 BC, and we have been burdened by them ever since. Even the great physicist Albert Einstein once remarked, "The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax." I am a strong supporter of reforming the tax code to make it understandable and fair. With the April 17 tax filing deadline looming, I want to bring three important tax reform issues that I support to your attention. Also, there are useful links for information, including an IRS link explaining the one-time refund for an outdated, previously collected telephone excise tax, in the taxes issue area of my website.

In E-News, I will continue to keep you updated on legislation important to Idaho and our country. Please use the "Tell a Friend" form on the lower left-side to pass along this E-Newsletter to friends, co-workers and family members.

On March 23, the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2008 Budget Resolution. I voted no on this legislation in the Budget Committee, of which I am a member, because I am concerned it will result in more government spending, higher taxes and more financial problems in our country. I voted against the budget again when it came to the full Senate, but unfortunately it passed on a partisan vote.

The 9/11 Commission Bill, (S. 4) passed the Senate on March 13. Although this bill is designed to implement many of the reforms called for by the 9/11 Commission Panel, it does not take a common sense approach to protecting our country from terrorists attacks. I voted no on S.4 and regret the Senate missed an opportunity to improve our national security.

The famous cherry trees that mark the arrival of spring in our nation's capital were a gift from Japan in 1912. Each year the trees explode with glorious pink and white blossoms. More than 3,700 cherry trees offer visitors Kendra Waitley will represent Idaho as our 2007 Cherry Blossom Princess!to Washington, D.C. a beautiful bonus while viewing historic sites around the city in the spring. This year's Cherry Blossom Festival will run from March 31 to April 15 and the parade will take place on April 14. Kendra Waitley will represent Idaho as our 2007 Cherry Blossom Princess. Kendra, daughter of Rick and Dorita Waitley of Meridian, is presently living in Washington, D.C., while working for the Senate Committee on Veteran's Affairs.

As we move forward this year, it is my hope that you will benefit from being aware of changes in legislation of concern to you. As always, it is of utmost importance to me to be informed on matters of interest to my fellow Idahoans. With that in mind, we continue to work to improve my website. Please email any suggestions that you have for improving my website, and let me know if there are issues that you would like me to address. Please send your comments to webmaster@crapo.senate.gov.

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