US Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced the Green Routes to Work Act of 2009 to Congress this week, which would provide more federal tax incentives for employees and individuals to choose low-carbon commuting such as bicycling, walking, riding public transit, carpooling, or telecommuting.
The bill’s bike-specific provisions (copied below from the press release) would provide employers with tax incentives to improve bike access to their building. Employee bike commuters could receive a tax benefit of up to $40, and, importantly, still collect other transportation fringe benefits.
• MultiModal Transportation: Allows individuals to combine their transportation fringe benefits as long as they fall under the $230 cap (for example, individuals can use the $40 bike credit and still collect up to $190 of their public transit fringe benefit). This section recognizes that people rarely use one type of transportation only to commute: they use a combination of modes depending on the weather, their needs for the day and other factors. It also increases the amount which individuals can receive under the bike commuter benefit to $40.
• Expenditures to Provide Bicycle Access: Encourages small businesses to provide for the growing interest in bicycle commuting by providing companies with a tax credit worth up to 50% of any expenditures used to make their business bike accessible.
• Deductions for Expenditures to Remove Barriers to Bicycle Access: Allows individuals and business owners to deduct the costs of bicycle access improvements.
We thank Congressman Blumenauer for all his work championing bike commuter tax benefits and advocating for a bike-friendly, low-carbon transportation model in Congress. Go Earl!
Bonus: Watch Earl speak up for his hometown from the House floor in response to an anti-Portland article from Newsweek columnist George Will back in May.
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