The LuLac Edition #4, 045, December 21st, 2023

UPCOMING MARTIN LITHER KING EVENTS COMING UP 

FRIDAY JANUARY 12TH, 3PM LUZERNE COUNTY COURTHOUSE

 MONDAY JANUARY 15TH, 930AM TO 1230PM DAY OF SERVICE, JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER KINGSTON 

 

 

CASEY PROBES IMPACT OF TRUMP TAX LAW ON FRAUD VICTIMS

REPORTS SHOW THAT FRAUD VICTIMS ARE FACING HIGH TAX BILLS FOLLOWING REPUBLICAN REPEAL OF CASUALTY AND THEFT LOSSES DEDUCTION

CASEY ASKS IRS FOR DATA ABOUT HOW 2017 TAX LAW IS HURTING FRAUD VICTIMS IN PENNSYLVANIA AND ACROSS THE NATION

Senator Bob Casey (Photo: LuLac archives)

U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, sent a letter to Internal Revenue Services (IRS) Commissioner Daniel Werfel, calling on the agency to provide information about how fraud victims are being affected by the 2017 Trump tax law’s repeal of the casualty and theft losses deduction. Senator Casey is investigating how the tax law’s repeal of the deduction is hurting victims of fraud who were previously able to claim a deduction for stolen funds. The letter follows recent reporting showing how the removal of this deduction by the 2017 tax law left victims with large federal tax bills on top of the money lost to scammers.

“The Republican tax law eliminated a provision of the tax code that allowed victims of fraud to claim a deduction on stolen funds—a provision that was on the books for a century,” wrote Chairman Casey. “Following the removal of this provision, older adults and their families from across the Nation have faced the shock and financial burden of enormous federal tax bills after having their life savings drained by thieves and fraudsters. This issue is particularly concerning as older adults appear to have disproportionately used the theft deduction before its elimination.”

Chairman Casey is a leader of efforts in the Senate to protect older Americans from frauds and scams. As Chairman of the Aging Committee, each year he releases a Fraud Book, which helps alert older Americans to the most common scams reported in the previous calendar year. Last month, he held a hearing entitled, “Modern Scams: How Scammers Are Using Artificial Intelligence & How We Can Fight Back,” which examined how Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) can be utilized by scammers to deploy scams and convince targets of their veracity, and how A.I. technology is being deployed to enhance the next generation of fraud detection systems. Following the hearing, he called on the Federal Trade Commission to step up its efforts to track A.I. Scams.

Read the full letter here or below:

Dear Commissioner Werfel:

In recent months, I have been investigating how the 2017 tax overhaul championed by Congressional Republicans has negatively affected victims of scams, fraud, and theft, including older adults. The Republican tax law eliminated a provision of the tax code that allowed victims of fraud to claim a deduction on stolen funds—a provision that was on the books for a century. Following the removal of this provision, older adults and their families from across the Nation have faced the shock and financial burden of enormous federal tax bills after having their life savings drained by thieves and fraudsters. This issue is particularly concerning as older adults appear to have disproportionately used the theft deduction before its elimination. Given the growing number of fraud schemes affecting older adults, I write seeking additional information about the effects of 2017 Republican tax law that are negatively affecting older adults in Pennsylvania and across our Nation.

Theft was codified into the casualty losses deduction shortly after individual income taxes were established in 1913, so that taxpayers suffering casualty or theft losses would not have to pay taxes on that lost income. By 1980, 10 percent of itemized returns included the casualty and theft losses deduction. Though changes to the tax code since the 1980s reduced the number of filers using the deduction, an average of 116,500 filers used the deduction annually from 2010 to 2017, according to Internal Revenue Service data. About half of filers using this deduction were age 55 or older during that same period. In 2017, the Republican-led Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) dramatically narrowed the deduction by limiting it to losses from federally declared disasters, a change that was meant help offset the cost of tax breaks for multinational corporations and the ultra-wealthy. As a result, fraud victims have found themselves subject to large federal tax bills that can total hundreds of thousands of dollars after suffering large theft losses.

The Washington Post was the latest news outlet to shed light on the negative consequences of the 2017 change in the tax code, highlighting the experiences of older adults who have found themselves on the hook for large federal tax bills after having money stolen by fraudsters. Earlier this year, Forbes highlighted the case of a Florida couple who was scammed by their daughter out of more than $1 million—money the IRS treated as income—resulting in a $400,000 tax bill. In another instance, a Virginia man told CBS News that he lost more than $800,000 to an online scam, which led to a tax bill of $200,000.

As losses from frauds and scams are increasing and the types of schemes are evolving, victims of fraud deserve more avenues to recover their losses. In November, I convened a hearing to highlight how scams augmented by artificial intelligence can easily dupe consumers and businesses into giving away valuable personal information or money.

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data show that consumers reported 2.5 million fraud events in 2022, losing $9 billion—up from $6.1 billion the prior year. Older adults reported losing more than $1.6 billion to fraud in 2022, though FTC estimates actual losses are as high as $48 billion. Older adults also experienced higher average losses than younger consumers in 2022.

The Special Committee on Aging is charged with examining “all matters pertaining to problems and opportunities of older people, including, but not limited to, problems and opportunities of … assuring adequate income.” Given the significant impact that frauds and scams are having on older adults, and the substantial negative financial effect that the 2017 tax law appears to be having on fraud victims, I request that you provide the following information no later than January 18, 2023:

Recent reporting confirms that older adults have faced significant tax liabilities following the change to the casualty and theft losses deduction that was instituted in the 2017 tax law. Some people who have been defrauded have ended up with hefty tax bills after suffering large theft losses, which has put them in challenging financial positions.

Please provide any available data regarding the number of taxpayers who have contacted the IRS about this issue, such as through the Taxpayer Assistance Centers, help lines, and the Offer in Compromise program.

Has IRS been documenting how the change to the tax code’s casualty and theft losses deduction is affecting taxpayers? For example, is IRS tracking the number of taxpayers who are no longer able to take the deduction for money lost to frauds and scams?

Does the IRS have any initiatives or campaigns specifically related to fraud, theft, or scams targeting older adults? Does the IRS have tax guidance for taxpayers who fall victim to financial fraud schemes? If so, please provide all documents related to these efforts, and describe the agency’s strategy to assist taxpayers who have experienced theft, scams, or fraud.

Following passage of the 2017 tax law, IRS data show a sharp decline in the number of taxpayers claiming the casualty and theft losses deduction, as well as the amount of money taxpayers claimed. For example, IRS data from 2019 show the number of filers claiming the deduction dropped to about 11,500 returns, estimated at $387 million in total claims. In 2017, the last year before TCJA went into effect, about 113,000 returns included it, totaling an estimated $2.8 billion in claims.

To the extent that IRS has additional data about the number of filers using the deduction and the amount claimed for tax years 2020-2022, please provide it.

What, if any, information can the IRS provide about the reasons for the declining use of the deduction following the 2017 change in the tax code? What, if any, data do the IRS have regarding the reason that taxpayers claimed the deduction prior to the 2017 change to the tax code? Does the IRS have visibility into whether filers were using the deduction in response to theft, disaster, or some other event? To the extent IRS has such data, please provide it to the Committee.

Please provide a state-by-state breakdown of the number of taxpayers using the deduction, and the amount claimed, for each available year dating back to 2010.

Please provide any available IRS data that include the median amounts and amounts at quartiles that filers have deducted as casualty/theft losses.

If you or your staff have any questions about this request, please direct them to Peter Gartrell, chief investigator for the Majority staff, at 202-224-5364.

 

SHAPIRO ADMINISTRATION BEHAVIORAL HEALTH COUNCIL HOLDS FIRST MEETING, BEGINS WORK TO STREAMLINE AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH & SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER EFFORTS IN PA

GOVERNOR SHAPIRO SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER CREATING THE COUNCIL, THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND FOR PENNSYLVANIA; AS PART OF THE EO, GOVERNOR ALSO CREATED AN ADVISORY COMMITTEE THAT WILL SHARE INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE, EXPERTISE, REPORTS, FINDINGS, AND FEEDBACK FROM THE COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE TO ASSIST THE COUNCIL IN ITS WORK TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF SERVICES. 

Governor Josh Shapiro (Photo: LuLac archives)

 

The Commonwealth’s Behavioral Health Council held its first meeting, keeping with Governor Josh Shapiro’s commitment to ensure government is delivering for the people of Pennsylvania.

“My Administration is taking a whole of government approach to tackling mental health and substance use disorder in the Commonwealth – and that means ensuring agencies under my jurisdiction are working together to improve our mental health and recovery services, and not operating in silos,” said Governor Shapiro. “This Council’s goal is simple, to make it easier for Pennsylvanians to receive the care they need. With today’s inaugural convening, members are getting to work on their efforts to reach across all levels of government and effect real change.”

The Council, created by Executive Order in October, is the first-of-its-kind for the Commonwealth and will develop and recommend to the Governor a statewide action plan to address any gaps in access, affordability, or delivery of services, with the goal of removing silos across state agencies, healthcare providers, payers, state and local government sectors, and decreasing the wait time for services for Pennsylvanians in need.

With the mental health and substance use crises impacting every community in the Commonwealth, the Council’s work will center on new and innovative care delivery models, workforce challenges, related social needs and inequities, and collaboration between the criminal justice system, public safety networks, and public health organizations to treat the whole person. Council members will also develop specific recommendations to decrease the wait time for care or services for individuals with mental health illness or substance use disorder.

Charged with setting the agenda for behavioral health under the Shapiro Administration, the Council will be led by Dr. Christina Finello and be comprised of 33 members, including a diverse array of stakeholders with representation from state, county, and local governments, the provider community, advocacy groups, and individuals with lived experiences — all will seek to create a more holistic healthcare delivery system in Pennsylvania. The Council will be supported by an Advisory Committee, with 25 members appointed by the Governor, to help elevate issues from communities across the Commonwealth. The Advisory Committee members will be named in the coming weeks.

“Now is the time for action – I am thrilled to be hosting our first meeting of the Behavioral Health Council today here at the Capitol,” said Dr. Finello. “There is a lot of work ahead for the Council, but the group of individuals we have gathered here is equal to the task. Simultaneously improving access to mental health and substance use services in Pennsylvania makes sense, as the two are so often intertwined. On behalf of the Shapiro Administration, we thank them in advance for their service to the Commonwealth in this important endeavor.”

“I am incredibly humbled and honored to serve as the Chair of this first-of-its-kind Council in the Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Policy and Planning Akbar Hossain. “Addressing mental health and substance use disorder remains a top priority for the Shapiro Administration, and I look forward to working with the members of this Council to develop and implement an action plan that is responsive to the needs of all Pennsylvanians.”

Names of the Behavioral Health Council members are below:

Commonwealth Representatives

Secretary of Policy and Planning, Akbar Hossain

Secretary of the Department of Human Services, Dr. Valerie Arkoosh

Acting Secretary of the Department of Health, Dr. Debra Bogen

Commissioner of Pennsylvania Insurance Department, Michael Humphreys

Secretary of the Department of Aging, Jason Kavulich

Secretary of the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs, Dr. Latika Davis-Jones

Secretary of the Department of Education, Dr. Khalid Mumin

Adjutant General of the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, Maj. Gen. Mark J. Schindler

Commissioner of Pennsylvania State Police, Colonel Christopher Paris

Secretary of the Department of Corrections, Dr. Laurel Harry

Secretary of the Department of State, Al Schmidt

Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Russell Redding

Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, Michael Pennington

Secretary of the Department of Labor & Industry, Nancy Walker

Director of Digital Strategy at the Governor’s Office, Annie Newman

Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Safe2Say Something Program Director, Brittney Kline

Representatives with lived or living experiences and family members:

Robert Hamilton, MPPM – Westmoreland DHS Director; Formerly homeless veteran and person in long-term recovery

Kate Favata – Community Engagement Manager, Crossroads, Treatment Advocate

Jennifer Wilt – Parent of a loved one with mental illness, President NAMI of Cumberland and Perry Counties

County Representatives:

Tina Clymer, County Mental Health Office representing Carbon, Monroe, and Pike counties

Dr. Tamra Williams, County Mental Health Office from Montgomery County

Ryan Hogan, Single County Authority from Luzerne County

Kristin Varner, Single County Authority from Dauphin County

Laurie Greco, Area Agency on Aging from Northampton County

Dr. Shannah Gillam, Area Agency on Aging from Allegheny County

Clinical Representatives:

Dr. Amy Kim, an expert in child and family behavioral healthcare

Dr. Margaret Jarvis, an expert in addiction medicine and substance use disorder treatments.

Dr. Jack Todd Wahrenberger, an expert in primary healthcare

Dr. Wendy Ross, an expert in treating individuals with co-occurring intellectual and developmental disabilities and autism with mental illness

Legislative Representatives from the General Assembly:

Representative Mike Schlossberg (D)

Representative Jim Struzzi (R)

Senator Maria Collett (D)

Senator Michele Brooks (R)

 MEDIA MATTERS

BEATLEDD ON ROCK 107

Tune in every Sunday morning as Edd Raineri, Beatle Ed takes you on a journey of musical excellence with the Beatles. 

 

WILKES BARRE NAACP PROGRAMS IN PLACE

The Wilkes Barre branch of the NAACP will, hold two events in January to commemorate the death of Martin Luther King Junior. The first program will take place on Friday January 12^th at 3pm at the Luzerne County Courthouse.

The second event will be at the Friedman Jewish Community Center on Monday January 15^th, from 9:30am to 12:30. That will be a day of service in honor of Dr. King.

Two people representing the programs will be on the air to share information about the upcoming events.

Paula Deignan will interview First Vice President David Yonki and  Attorney Catherine O’Donnell in segments that air on these stations and their dates.

Saturday 12-23

WILK AM/FM NEWS radio 1pm

Sunday 12-24

WGGY-FM (Froggy101) 6am

WKRZ-FM (985KRZ) and WLMZ-FM (102.3FM) 7am.

Special Edition will again air the segments on

Saturday Jan 6

WILK AM/FM NEWS radio 1pm

Sunday   Jan 7

WGGY-FM (Froggy101) 6am

WKRZ-FM (985KRZ) and WLMZ-FM (102.3FM) 7am

WILK NEWS radio AM/FM      2pm

 

WALN

BOLD GOLD COMMUNITY FORUM

You'll hear the program Sunday at 6 on 94.3 The Talker; 6:30 on 1400 am The Mothership and 7:30 am on 105 The River. 

 

BOBBY’S V’S DOOWOP SOCK HOP

1954

Our 1954 logo.

J. Hartwell Harrison and Joseph Murray perform the world's first successful kidney transplant in Boston, Massachusetts…………..1954 Prestwick air disaster: The British Overseas Airways Corporation Boeing 377 Stratocruiser G-ALSA crashes on landing at Glasgow Prestwick Airport from London in poor visibility at 03:30, killing 28 of the 36 passengers and crew on board……A small annular solar eclipse covered only 93% of the Sun in a very broad path, 262 km wide at maximum, and lasted 7 minutes and 39.03 seconds, occurring 177.8 days after the total solar eclipse of June 30, 1954…..The 1954 Asian Baseball Championship ends in victory for the Philippines…….The 1954 NFL Championship Game takes place at Cleveland Municipal Stadium, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and is won by the Cleveland Browns. …Ozzie Smith, American baseball player, in Mobile, Alabama…The very first British-animated film, Animal Farm, premieres…..An Aeroflot airliner – possibly an Ilyushin Il-14 – crashes on takeoff from Irkutsk Airport in Irkutsk in the Soviet Union, killing all 17 people on board.[….Liberian tanker World Peace collides with the El Ferdan Railway Bridge, Suez Canal, Ismailia, Egypt. The canal is blocked as part of the bridge ends up across the deck of World Peace……The first specimens of the mineral benstonite are collected by Orlando J. Benston in the Magnet Cove igneous complex of Arkansas, USA and the number one song in LuLac land and America was Cherry Pink And Apple Blossom White" by Perez Prado.