So all of you know of the controversy that ensued when Congress passed the tax credit for doors and windows and assigned the somewhat arbitrary .30/.30 number instead of looking at current ENERGY STAR® numbers.It’s been interesting, to say the least as a reporter, to write about this story as it has developed over the past several months. It was particularly interesting to be in attendance when members of the Northeast Window and Door Association met with Patrick Woodcock of Sen. Olympia Snowe’s office a few months ago (CLICK HERE for that story). During that meeting they learned that .30/.30 came about due in part to a decision made at three in the morning.

While all that was unfolding, personally I’ve been following a tax credit of another kind, though not nearly as controversial (if that could even be possible). That is the possible passage of a hearing aid tax credit. I’m personally interested in this bill, as the mother of three daughters, two of which are hearing impaired and wear hearing aids. These instruments are extremely expensive (about $5,000 a pair). We just purchased a pair in January for our now two-year-old so I would be thrilled if the tax credit was passed. If enacted, it would provide a $500 tax credit per hearing aid available once every 5 years.

I couldn’t help but chuckle last week when I received correspondence about the tax credit from AG Bell, (Alexander Graham Bell Association for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the association of which I am a member) , which informs me of the progress being made on this issue. That newsletter informed me that Snowe is a cosponsor of the hearing aid tax credit. I hope she is as instrumental in getting this tax credit passed–minus the controversy.

Why, am I telling you all this? Well, in part, it’s because it’s because all year I’ve written about how, now more than ever, it’s the time to get to know your legislators, invite them to your plants, etc. In fact, we’re hosting a session on this very topic during our first ever Fenestration Day to be held during Glass Expo Midwest on March 16, 2010, in Schaumburg, Ill.

So I’ve been trying to take my own advice by writing letters to my elected officials and keeping up with this issue.  And after hearing about Snowe’s sponsorship I even e-mailed Woodcock with my personal story hoping he will pass that on to the Senator.

Maybe some of the legislative-based articles have been helpful to you, so I’ll turn the tables now. If you have any advice for me on how to get my own tax credit passed, I’m all ears. Thanks for listening.