Virginia Bike Commuter Tax Credits

I’m a bit conflicted about using the tax code to promote certain behaviours, but I’m nonetheless passing along this information about a pending proposal for a Virginia tax credit for individuals who commute to work by bike.  Lifted almost wholesale from a WABA email:

Act Now: Support HB 1826 for Bicycle Commuting Tax Credits

The Washigton Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and the Virginia Bicycling Federation (VBF) urge all
Virginia cyclists to support HB 1826 which is now before the Virginia General Assembly.  HB 1826 would
promote bicycle commuting by encouraging employers to provide bicycle commuting accommodations at the
workplace and by offering a modest income tax credit of $15/month for employees who commute by bicycle on
10 or more days per month.

HB 1826 proposes two different types of income tax credit for expenditures related to bicycle commuting:

1. an employer tax credit up to $5,000 for expenditures to provide employee bicycle parking racks and/or showers at the worksite and
2. an employee tax credit of $15 per month for commuting by bicycle at least ten days in any given month. 

WABA and VBF strongly support both proposed tax credits, but we have suggested expanding the employer credit to include rented as well as purchased facilities, to include all types of suitable bicycle parking facilities (not just
racks), and to include employee clothes changing and storage facilities as well as employee showers.

The bill has been referred to the House of Delegates Finance Committee and will reportedly be heard by
Finance Subcommittee #3 on Wednesday, Jan. 24 and by the full Finance Committee as early as Monday, Jan.
29.  A favorable fiscal impact statement has already been issued by the Virginia Department of Taxation.

HOW YOU CAN HELP:

1. Ask your Virginia delegate to co-patron HB 1826 before the bill is heard by the full House Finance Committee.  You can identify and contact your delegate here.
2. Ask your delegate to vote for HB 1826 at every opportunity.  If your delegate (or a nearby delegate) is on the House Finance Committee and/or on Finance Subcommittee #3 ask them NOW to vote for HB 1826 when it comes before Subcommittee #1 (on Jan. 24) and the full House Finance Committee (possibly on Jan. 29).

LINKS TO MORE INFORMATION:

HB 1826 bill history

HB 1826 text as introduced