Political Quotes

“today Senators Heller, Bennet, Gardner, and I are introducing the Water Conservation Tax Parity Act. This bill would exempt the value of residential water conservation and storm water runoff management rebates from gross income calculations. California and the western States have been facing a severe drought. Some public utilities, state and local governments, and water management providers offer programs to promote water conservation and storm water management by providing subsidies. These programs help stimulate responsible water use; however, residential participation is essential to their success. For example, the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California has offered a rebate program to encourage residents to replace turf with more water-responsible landscapes. More than 23,000 households have benefited from the turf removal rebates, and the average rebate per household covers 1,500 square feet or about $3,000, which covers about half of the cost to the resident. Section 136 of the Internal Revenue Code already exempts energy conservation rebates from inclusion in gross income. However, there is no Federal exemption for water conservation or storm water management measures, which may undermine incentives for participation in these programs. These programs are just as valuable as energy conservation programs and should be treated equally in the tax code.…”