Schakowsky
Calls for End to Veterans Tax
Park Ridge
Journal - 11/13/03
U.S.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-9th) joined veterans on Monday, Nov. 10, to demand an end
to the "Disabled Veterans Tax" and released a study that concludes thousands of
disabled veterans throughout Illinois are being denied their full pension
because of the tax.
Veterans who spoke
included Colonel Thalia Sipple, who retired from the U.S. Air Force Medical
Corps after serving 30 years but is not receiving her full pension because of
the tax.
Under current law,
veterans who have served 20 years or more and retire with a service-related
disability cannot receive their full military pension. Their pension is reduced
on a dollar-for-dollar basis by the amount they receive in disability
compensation. In other words, disability compensation is taxed at a rate of
100%.
During the conference
at the Park Ridge VFW, Schakowsky released a study stating more than 7,000
disabled veterans in Illinois are being denied full benefits totaling $32.6
million annually.
|