Date: Fri, 20 Jun 1997 22:14:09 -0400 From: Matthew Belmonte To: nitamail@hr.house.gov Subject: oppose taxation of tuition waivers The Ways and Means Committee recently passed a tax bill that would eliminate section 117d of the Internal Revenue Code. As a graduate student who will be receiving a tuition waiver from my university, I stand to lose a lot if this bill passes in its current form. In past years my annual stipend has been $12000, and my income tax has been based on this income level. However, if section 117d is repealed, the value of the tuition waiver that I receive would more than double my taxable income. I would this be forced to pay tax on $25000 out of an income of only $12000! My ambition is to teach at a small college. I could make much more money in industry than I make in graduate school, but I've chosen to sacrifice that because I want to teach. Why does Congress want to punish me for following this ambition?