Dear Friend,
Thank you to everyone who tuned in and participated in last week’s telephone town hall. Tuesday night, 2,324 of us were connected and listening to each other. During the call, nine of you asked great questions. Unfortunately, we ran out of time, but thankfully, some of you left additional questions via our voicemail system. Many of you had similar concerns regarding Social Security and our teachers. For more information on tax reform, visit fairandsimple.gop. For those of you who weren't able to join the call, these were some of the highlights:
Lynda from Galveston is a retiree and knows many retirees depend on Social Security. She wanted to know if the new tax bill would change the way Social Security is taxed.
Nothing that I’ve heard or read is going to change the way Social Security is handled. Social Security is something you’ve been working for all of your life. There’s been no mention of changes to Social Security. Thank YOU for your many years of hardwork and for being an avid listener. Great question.
Harvey had questions about State and Local Tax (SALT) Dedications, personal dedications, and Medicare/Medicaid.
Taking these concerns in reverse: There is no discussion about changing Medicare or Medicaid through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. If you will allow me to be a little bit forthright, I think people use scare tactics when they’re against something or want to make somebody else look bad. Local property tax deductions (up to $10,000) remain. To your question about teachers buying supplies and being able to deduct that cost – my bride of 41 years was a teacher for 27. We would help her students – buying them supplies, sometimes even clothes. The trade-off is a doubled standard deduction and a $1182 tax cut. I appreciate your call and your keeping up with teachers.
Linda from Port Neches wanted to know when these changes will go into effect; in time for the next tax season?
Some of the provisions will kick in this year. Most of them will start next year. You will be able to start filing your taxes this way on January 1; that’s our aim.
John is about to turn 65 and wants to know if he should expect any changes regarding healthcare or Medicare.
Medicare is unchanged. Right now, everything will remain the same. Though the House was able to pass healthcare reform, the Senate has not yet.
Deborah from Galveston runs a small business. She employs less than 10 people, and currently pays more in insurance per month than she pays her employees. She can't sustain that, though she's been trying, and fears she will be forced to go out of business. A decade ago, she paid $600, now she pays $2,000 per employee, per month. She also wants to know what tax revisions there might be regarding rental property.
Taking your questions backwards: You've noticed flood insurance, TWIA (Texas Wind Insurance Association) and property taxes increase. Property tax is a function of the appraisal district, and rental properties are considered second homes. TWIA is done through the State of Texas. And flood insurance is a federal program. TX14 is ground zero for Harvey flooding, and flood insurance is in the process of being revamped. One of the things we're trying to do is make it marketable by private companies and not have the government be the sole source. Last week, we passed flood insurance legislation.
On the Affordable Care Act, your House sent Dr. Tom Price's bill to President Obama's desk, but of course he vetoed it. Your House is still working to repeal and replace. Call your Senate. If we get a bill out, President Donald Trump has said he will sign it. My hope is that we get relief. Stay tuned.
These past few months, we have seen some trying times. Some may be spending their first holiday away from their home, others may be spending the day in a home that looks very different than it did this time last year, and more still may be celebrating with a table that is a bit more crowded than normal. As we gather around the table with family and friends this Thursday, I pray we all remember to count our blessings and be grateful, despite the storm. Harvey may have brought the downpour, but Texans have brought the outpour.
Happy Thanksgiving, Texas 14! Enjoy the family, friends, food, and football.
Sincerely,
Randy K. Weber
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| Harvey Resources |
Mark your calendar with these upcoming deadlines:
Hotel waivers are extended to January 16 (Review on December 12)
Apply for Disaster Assistance by November 30
Register for disaster assistance BEFORE November 30 → www.DisasterAssistance.gov.
Registering online is the quickest way to register for FEMA assistance. If you do not have access to the internet, you may register by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585. You may also use the FEMA mobile app or visit a Disaster Recovery Center.
All DRCs will be closed for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24. They will reopen on Saturday, November 25. For a list of DRCs in TX14 visit bit.ly/TX14HarveyResources or www.fema.gov/DRC.
The Direct Housing effort led by the State of Texas has housed 208 families to date. The Texas General Land Office (GLO) and FEMA will work continuously through the holiday season to make housing a reality for thousands of Texans recovering from Hurricane Harvey.
Regarding the $44 Billion Disaster Relief Request sent over from the Office of Management and Budget to the House: it is woefully inadequate. No matter what others may be saying, know that Texas and Texans are doing their fair share to rebuild and recover - y'all see this on a daily basis.
The state has already spent well over $1 billion, an amount which does not include county or local funding. Additionally, Texans have gone above and beyond to contribute to recovery and care for our neighbors –that’s what we do. Estimated losses in Texas alone top $190 billion, and continue to grow. The Governor's request for $61 billion is an obvious indication that Texas and Texans do not expect the federal government to make us whole. We never have. We do, however, expect the federal government to quit treating us differently than every other disaster-impacted region, and to fulfill their obligations and promises.
FEDERAL AGENCY CONTACTS
FEMA Helpline: (800) 621-3362
FEMA Fraud Hotline: (800) 323-8603
U.S. Small Business Administration: (800) 659-2955
National Flood Insurance Program: (800) 427-4661, TTY (800) 427-5593
Internal Revenue Service: (800) 829-1040, TTY (800) 829-4059
Social Security Administration: (800) 772-1213
Department of Veterans Affairs: (800) 827-1000
STATE AGENCY CONTACTS
Consumer Protection Help Line: (800) 621-0508.
Texas Windstorm Insurance Assoc. & Texas FAIR Plan: (877) 281-1431 or Spanish: (866) 443-3144
Texas Dept. of Insurance Consumer Help Line: (800) 252-3439
Shelter, Food, and Disaster Services: 2-1-1
Education Hotline for Houston, Beaumont and Victoria areas: (512) 463-9603
Alert Houston Emergency Updates: 3-1-1; or (713) 884-3131
Governor Greg Abbott Information Hotline: (800) 843-5789
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