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One of the most important provisions in this bill would protect 23 million middle-class families from being hit by the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), including more than 42,000 families in California’s 1st Congressional District.
“The AMT was created to make sure multi-millionaires were paying their fair share. It was never designed to hit middle-class families,” said Congressman Mike Thompson, who voted in favor of the Temporary Tax Relief Act of 2007 (H.R. 3996). “This bill is going to bring tax relief to tens of thousands of working families throughout our district. And it’s not going to increase the national deficit by one cent.”
In regards to the AMT, this bill would provide one-year AMT relief for nonrefundable personal credits and increase the AMT exemption amount to $66,250 for joint filers and $44,350 for individuals.
In addition to fixing the AMT, this bill would:
Provide 30 million American homeowners with property tax relief;
Help 12 million families by expanding the child tax credit;
Help 4.5 million families better afford college with the tuition deduction;
Save 3.4 million teachers money with a deduction for classroom expenses; and
Provide thousands of American troops in combat with tax relief under the Earned Income Tax Credit.
“The new Majority in Congress made a firm commitment to fiscal responsibility,” said Thompson. “This bill provides millions of hard-working Americans with much-needed tax relief, without passing the cost onto our grandchildren and without borrowing from foreign countries, such as China. And it will provide significant help to Americans trying to achieve the dream of homeownership and higher education.”
The bill would also help spur economic growth. The Temporary Tax Relief Act would extend tax incentives targeting small businesses and provides assistance to homeowners facing foreclosure or bankruptcy.
The bill also contains provisions modeled upon two pieces of legislation authored by Congressman Thompson. H.R. 1576 would make permanent tax incentives to landowners who conserve our country’s agricultural land and open spaces. H.R. 1304 would improve the manner in which motor sports complexes may depreciate facility-related expenses.
The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.
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Dr. Scott Clayton Wheadon, DDS, 49, of Kelseyville was arrested on Nov. 7 by Lake County Narcotic Task Force agents, with the assistance of the California Highway Patrol, the Lake County Sheriff's Office and Lakeport Police Department, according to a report released to Lake County News Friday morning.
Wheadon is the dental director for Lake County Tribal Health's facility at 925 Bevins Court in Lakeport, according to a report from Lake County Narcotic Task Force Commander Richard Russell. Wheadon has been the dental director there for 10 years.
The arrest followed a four-month investigation, according to Russell.
In July, the task force received information that Wheadon was allegedly obtaining prescription medications for his personal use, which is illegal, Russell reported.
An investigation found evidence that Wheadon had allegedly obtained prescription medicals by fraud, deceit, misrepresentation or subterfuge on a number of occasions, according to Russell. Task force agents were able to identify some of those transactions through California Department of Justice records.
Agents contacted Wheadon at his office Wednesday while simultaneously serving a search warrant on his Kelseyville home, Russell said.
At Wheadon's home, Russell said agents found patient records, dental medications, and prescription medications Wheadon had allegedly obtained illegally.
They also found numerous firearms, including hunting rifles, a 9 mm pistol and a .38 pistol, said Russell. The firearms appeared to have been obtained legally, Russell added.
Wheadon was arrested on six felony charges, including procuring the administration of controlled substances by fraud, possessing controlled narcotic substances, forging or altering narcotic prescriptions, possessing a destructive device, forgery of prescriptions and first degree burglary.
The burglary charge, explained Russell, was added because Wheadon allegedly entered his place of work with the intent to commit a felony – in this instance, misrepresentation of a prescription.
The specific charges for which Wheadon was arrested stemmed from activities at his place of work, said Russell.
Russell would not disclose how long Wheadon was allegedly involved with the drug activities.
However, Wheadon's alleged activities don't appear linked to a larger prescription drug ring, and the drugs appeared to be for his personal use. “It was an isolated incident as far as we know,” said Russell.
Russell would not comment on a connection between Wheadon's alleged activities to obtain drugs and his patients.
Agents were unable to find evidence of similar alleged drug activity in other communities, Russell added.
According to jail booking records, Wheadon's bail was set at $65,000. By Friday morning Wheadon had posted bail and been released from the Lake County Jail.
According to his booking sheet, Wheadon is set to appear in court on Jan. 14, 2008.
On Jan. 31, 2008, Wheadon's dental license is set to expire, according to state Department of Consumer Affairs.
A call to Lake County Tribal Health to inquire about Wheadon's current employment status was not immediately returned.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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