A little something for us tucked away in that $700 billion bailout package
opportunity knocks October 8th, 2008
Treehugger reports that the bailout bill includes a buried provision permitting employers to give their employees a tax-free $20.00/month benefit for bicycle commuting. See? The system really does work!
–Erik Ryberg
October 8th, 2008 at 8:52 pm
It’s still pork.
October 8th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
For the “long, strange trip” of the bicycle commuting act, I recommend reading this:
http://bikeportland.org/2008/10/03/house-passes-bailout-bill-bike-commuters-finally-get-a-tax-break/
October 9th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Agreed. This is going to inflate the money supply something fierce.
October 9th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Yeah – that makes it totally worth it.
(little eye-rolling animated smiley goes here)
October 9th, 2008 at 12:21 pm
They also snuck in a provision giving the Chevy Volt hybrid a $7500 tax rebate. The Prius only got a maximum of $3250 when it came out…
October 9th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
What if you’re not an employee? Can you get $20 a month for using your bike to commute to school? Run errands for your business?
October 10th, 2008 at 4:27 am
I personally feel it is insulting for public servants to offer bribes in order to encourage people to “do the right thing”.
How is it cool to be an American if in this country we feel we must be rewarded for every attempt we make at being nice? If I don’t get my $7500 for wasting resources in a hip, socially acceptable way (like getting a trendy hybrid car), I think I’ll throw a tantrum.
Or better still, I want my $20 because I’m broke and I cycle… Wait, never-mind, I’m broke because money is a waste of my time; guess I’ll have to ride for free.