ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, July 4, 1996 TAG: 9607050055
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: HOLIDAY
COLUMN: What's On Your Mind?
SOURCE: RAY REED
Q: Is Roanoke City Manager Bob Herbert taking comp time or vacation time, or is he getting paid his full salary while he's junketing around Poland at federal taxpayer expense? How does the trip benefit the city of Roanoke?
And why isn't he too busy, like Elmer Hodge in Roanoke County?
W.B., Roanoke
A: Herbert is on salary during the time he's teaching city development principles to the leaders and municipal employees of Opole, Poland.
Roanoke's city manager doesn't earn comp time; if he did, Herbert would be able to take more than the nearly three weeks he's spending in Poland, said his spokeswoman, Michelle Bono.
It's an information exchange, and probably the Polish city gets more benefit than Roanoke does in this particular venture.
Nevertheless, it would be hard to miss some sort of gain in cross-cultural experience and educational refreshment.
Opole is a developing democracy in a growing urban area that's interested in operating parking garages and renewing its downtown area.
Herbert, who traveled alone from Roanoke, has reported that his accommodations in Opole are "clean but sparse." It's not the sort of destination most tourists would choose.
Why didn't Elmer Hodge go? He's been to Opole before, in December 1994 on another trip sponsored by the U.S. Information Agency, which is paying Herbert's expenses.
This time, the county's budget-making process wasn't complete and Hodge decided not to go.
Herbert returns to work in Roanoke on Monday after his 19-day trip.
Not deductible
Q: Do Steve Forbes and Ross Perot have the option of deducting their political expenses from their federal and state tax returns? In other words, are we the taxpayers paying for their fun and fame?
H.W.J., Roanoke
A: No, at least not above the table.
That's the word from the Federal Election Commission and the IRS, both of which said campaign contributions are never tax deductible.
Your question might apply to other candidates, too; Democrat Mark Warner, for example, has already put up nearly $100,000 toward his campaign for the U.S. Senate.
The no-deductions law applies whether the gift is $100 or $1 million, and whether it's from the candidate's personal wealth or from a lobbyist's political action committee.
In fact, campaign committees that accept more than $100,000 in donations are required by law to put a notice on their solicitations saying contributions are not tax deductible.
Are there ways to get around the tax code? The IRS spokesman wouldn't comment.
Have a question about something that might affect other people, too? Something you've come across and wondered about? Give us a phone call at 981-3118, or e-mail us at RayR@Roanoke.Infi.Net. Maybe we can find the answer.
LENGTH: Medium: 64 linesby CNB