The bailout bill passed the Senate and is awaiting a vote in the House today. This bill has gotten many additional unrelated items added to it, presumably to gain the vote of certain legislators.
Congressman Earl Blumenauer is our biggest bicycling advocate. He voted against the first bailout bill. And although he did not request it, this new bailout bill includes his bicycle commuter legislation.
What does this bike commuter legislation do? Currently, employers get a tax break when they provide company cars or pay for their employee’s use of public transit in order to get to work. This legislation would add bicycles as a tax break. This would give employers a financial incentive to provide a bicycle and cover the expenses associated with riding it to work.
According to the Congressman’s web site, this legislation “provides a strong incentive for employees to bike to work, which is a cleaner, healthier, more efficient mode of transportation.”
Even though Blumenauer’s bike bill is in the bailout, he’s indicating he will vote against the overall package.
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