Federal Government Relations - GFOA's Federal Liaison Center Our Mission:The mission of the Federal Liaison Center is to inform GFOA members about federal legislation, regulations, judicial actions, and policies that affect public finance functions and to represent the interests of GFOA in Washington, DC. Center staff collects, analyzes, and disseminates information to GFOA members and provides policymakers with information on GFOA positions.
The center's activities include participating in many working groups with other state and local organizations on issues of importance to GFOA members including: public financing, tax, pension and benefits, and banking issues. We maintain close working relationships with many regulatory agencies including the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board (MSRB), and have constant dialogue with other organizations such as the National Association of Counties (NACo), the National League of Cities (NLC), the National Governors Association (NGA), and the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST).
Information about legislation that is closely monitored and GFOA's positions on issues may be found on this Web page.
The Federal Liaison Center coordinates the efforts of GFOA's seven standing committees, the Women's Network, the Black Caucus, and the FOCAL Team. To learn more about these groups, please click on these sections below.
We always appreciate and would like your input and suggestions about the GFOA's Washington activities. Please e-mail Dustin McDonald with your ideas. Federal Tax Exemption on Municipal Bond Interest Resource Center As Congress and the White House continue to discuss federal tax reform and budget deficit reduction proposals that would repeal the tax exemption or replace it with a cap on investor deductions, GFOA is working closely with its state and local government association partners to educate Congress about the need to preserve this critical public financing tool. However we need your help in conveying this message!
GFOA’s Federal Liaison Center has developed a suite of advocacy materials to assist you in your outreach to your federal elected leaders to protect the exemption. These materials include talking points, draft letters to Senators and members of the House of Representatives and the White House, a draft resolution that state and local elected bodies can approve and share with their federal delegations and a draft Op-Ed. Please work with your state and local elected bodies to use these materials and share them with your federal elected leaders today! Please also share any formal correspondence you send to your federal electeds on this issue with Federal Liaison Center Director Dustin McDonald.
Beyond these resources GFOA has also worked with the U.S. Conference of Mayors, National League of Cities and National Association of Counties to develop a series of reports highlighting the exceptional productivity of the tax exemption, and discussing the many compelling reasons to maintain this long-standing and critical component of the federal tax code. These reports include:
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Recent News Items | Federal Involvement in State and Local Government Financial Disclosure is an Unnecessary Mandate | In response to suggestions made by a member of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC) that Congress should require state and local governments to follow corporate style financial reporting and disclosure, GFOA Executive Director/CEO, Jeffrey L. Esser issued a statement indicating that GFOA will strongly oppose such a federal mandate. Read More |
Overview: Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act | |
Rental Car Tax Preemption Red Flags Rule Became Effective December 31, 2010 - Click here for information from the FTC’s Web site
U.S. Supreme Court: States Can Keep Current Tax Policies on Muni Bonds Municipal Bond Market IssuesUniform Ratings Material Event Notices/Bond Issuer Downgrades
General Issues Guidance on Auction Rate Securities/Reissuance
SEC Proposal to Extend Authority over Disclosure Practices and Governmental Accounting
Telecommunications Reform Collection of Remote Sales Tax Public Pension Reform Tax-Exempt Bonds
• NABL/GFOA draft tax compliance checklists submitted to Treasury
Central Post Office for Disclosure Filings: www.disclosureusa.org
Social Security Collecting Delinquent Revenues from Debtors' Federal Tax Refunds Fair Labor Standards Act - OSHA Court Case Review Proposed Regulations and Guidance on Medicare Prescription Drug Issues Policy Statements
The Government Finance Officers Association's public-policy positions are developed by the GFOA standing committees, approved by the GFOA Executive Board, and adopted by the GFOA membership at the annual business meeting held in conjunction with the GFOA Annual Conference. Click here to view GFOA's public policy statements.
This section is be updated regularly to include new or modified policies. The GFOA's Federal Liaison Center is responsible for compiling the policies. Inquires about GFOA policies should be sent to:
GFOA Federal Liaison Center,
1301 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 309
Washington, D.C. 20004
202-393-8020 (Phone)
202-393-0780 (Fax)
Email
Click here for more information.
Issue Briefs- Federal FY 2012 Budget
- Alternative Minimum Tax & Tax-Exempt Bonds
- Arbitrage Rebate
- Bank Deductibility
- Brownfields
- Cash Management Improvement Act
- Communications Reform
- Credit Card Fees and Surcharges
- Corporate Governance & Accounting Reforms
- Employer-provided Vehicle and Transportation Fringe Benefits
- Fair Labor Standards Act
- FDIC Reform
- FEMA Grants Administration
- Health Care Reform
- Homeland Security
- Mandatory Social Security
- Municipal Market Regulations
- Non-Governmental Bonds
- Pension and Retirement Savings Reform
- Private Activity Bond Volume Caps
- Small Issuer Arbitrage Rebate Exception
- Social Security Protection Act
- Sports Facilities Financing
- State Revolving Loan Funds
- Collection of Taxes on Purchases Made Over the Internet
- Surface Transportation Funding
- Tax Credit Bonds
- Tax-exempt Bonds
- Tax Issues Impacting State/Local Governments
- Tax Reform
- Terrorism Insurance
- Unfunded Mandates
- Withholding Requirement on Government Payments
- Yield Burning
- Proposal Contained in the President’s FY 05 Budget: Leasing Transactions with Tax-Indifferent Parties and the Subsequent Manager’s Amendment to S. 1637
Contacting Members of Congress LinksThe Federal Liaison Center works with the following organizations and government entities to enhance our efforts in Washington.
Click here for more links FOCAL TeamGFOA's Finance Officers Calling for Action on Legislation (FOCAL) Team consists of finance officers in every state who are in direct contact with their congressional representatives any time an issue affecting state and local jurisdictions is being considered. FOCAL Team members play a proactive role in GFOA's advocacy efforts, and the FOCAL Team is an important, effective way for members to participate in strengthening the public finance profession.
Click here for more information Standing CommitteesClick here for more information Special Interest GroupsClick here for more information.
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