Re: Gore's alleged "$10,000 college tuition deduction." Although you seem unwilling to cite authority for your position, I've provided some in opposition below.
From debatefacts.com:
10/17 debate
Invention:
9.26 pm
Gore said that he supports a plan to make $10,000 of college tuition deductible.
Fact:
Gore's college tax credit already exists and Gore's proposal is only worth $800 - not $10,000 like he claims. Gore is touting a tax credit that already exists - the Lifetime Learning Credit, which Governor Bush supports. CNN reported how Gore was "stretching" the impact of his proposal. (CNN, Inside Politics, 9/27/00)
Gore exaggerates the impact of his plan and does not understand his that his plan leaves out millions of students. Al Gore's plan only applies to those paying federal income taxes, thereby denying relief to 29 million low- and moderate-income families. And the credit, which does not pay for room and board, is limited to only one per family regardless of how many children are in the family.
"As reported on World News Tonight, Gore misstated his position on a $10,000 tax deduction during the debate-claiming it was per child, per year while it is actually only a yearly deduction per family.
Reporters who were with Gore in Sarasota, Fla., witnessed an especially egregious interaction showing Gore's "accuracy problem" when a young woman asked him specifically about this policy detail, "What about the families with more than one child, will this only be able to be deducted once?"
Gore responded by reassuring her that it applied per child, and then talked with the young woman about how many siblings she had and - in a "feel your pain" moment - about how concerned she was about the cost of tuition. It was clear that Gore did not understand his own policy, and aides failed to correct the problem before the debate." (ABCnews.com, 10/13/00)
Governor Bush offers plan to make college more affordable, especially for low- and moderate-income families. Governor Bush supports fully funding the Pell grant program for first-year students, increasing the maximum grant from $3,300 to $5,100, establishing an enhanced Pell grant, which would provide an additional $1,000 to Pell grant recipients who took AP mat and science courses in high school, and creating a $1.5 billion College Challenge fund to encourage states to offer scholarships to students who take an advanced or recommended curriculum in high school.
Governor Bush would make it easier for families to save for college. In addition, Governor Bush supports expanding Education Savings Accounts for parents to contribute up to $5,000 annually per child into accounts and withdraw tax free (i.e., without being taxed on any gain or interest earned) to use for kindergarten to college and beyond.
NBC Nightly News confirms Gore's college tax deduction is smaller than he makes it sound.
NBC Nightly News--October 17, 2000
Lisa Myers: At the top of Gore's [plan] a tax break to help families pay for college.
Al Gore: I want to give new choices to parents to send their kids to college with a $10,000 tax deduction for college tuition, per child, per year.
Lisa Myers: Experts say this is less generous that it sounds. First, Gore's deduction is limited to $10,000 per family, not per child, as he said. What's more, his plan merely would modestly expand an existing tuition credit. The bottom line for your family?
Clint Stretch (of Deloitte Touche): The most that this credit could give any family is $800 more than what they get under present law. |
