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Did you know that there is a law allowing a tax deduction using carpools or mass transit to get to work and that legislation currently pending would extend that deduction to cyclists?

Telling your elected representatives to support this bill is EASY. I just filled out a form online that I found via the League of American Bicyclists website. You can do it to! Let's have our voices heard in Washington. Here's the link:
http://capwiz.com/lab/issues/alert/?alertid=8647031&type=CO

Here's a copy of the letter that I sent to my congressional representatives:

I am writing to respectfully urge you to support the Bicycle Commuter Act. The Bicycle Commuter Act would extend the transportation fringe benefit, currently available to transit users and car drivers, to bicycle commuters. The legislation would provide a tax benefit to employers who offer cash reimbursements to an employee who commutes by bicycle, while helping defray the costs of commuting for the bicyclist. Congress should amend the tax code to allow this benefit. Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Mark Foley (R-FL) introduced H.R. 807 in February 2005. The bill has at least 35 cosponsors.

Currently, employers may offer a transportation fringe benefit to their employees for certain costs incurred while commuting to work. Employees who take advantage of this benefit may receive a tax-exempt benefit of up to $200 per month, for drivers participating in qualified parking plans, or $105 per month for those using transit or vanpooling. The employer may also give cash compensation for these costs – although this is included as taxable income to the employee – or allow the employee to take a tax-free deduction for the purchase of transit tickets.

The Bicycle Commuter Act would simply extend the definition of “transportation” in Section 132 (f) of the 1986 IRS code to include “bicycles.” The program is voluntary. The change would provide a strong incentive to employees to bike to work, contribute to cleaner air, reduced energy consumption and many other benefits. The costs of commuting, such as lights, bike maintenance, raingear, panniers, parking (locker rental) and changing facilities, would be reimbursable under this program.

Census and other data show that half of the working population lives within five miles of their place of work and that more than one quarter of all trips in this country are one mile or less – distances that are very compatible with cycling. Currently, less than one percent of journeys to work are made by bicycle, even though consumer studies repeatedly show that many more people would do so with incentives such as this.

I urge you to support the Bicycle Commuter Act. Thank you for your time and consideration on this important issue.

Sincerely,
Larry Lagarde