Dupage Policy Journal

U.S. Reps. Dan Lipinski (D-Dist. 3) and Peter King (R-NY) have called on Congress to increase and permanently extend a tax benefit for commuters who use public transit to get to and from work.

This benefit helps more people use public transportation, eases congestion on the roads, supports the economy and increases quality of life, the duo said.

Lipinski and King wrote a letter to House Ways and Means Committee leaders, asking that the increased transit tax benefit be included in the tax-extension package the House is expected to consider before the end of the year.

In the past, commuters riding trains, buses, subways and other forms of public transit each were entitled to $245 in monthly tax-free benefits to defray the costs of their commute, an amount equal to the parking benefit offered to commuters who chose to drive to work. Inaction in the last session of Congress led to the benefit getting cut to $130, then partly restored.

“With 2.7 million commuters using the transit benefit to get from home to work, Congress should take action to ensure that riders of public transportation are provided with the same benefits as other commuters,” Lipinski and King said in their letter. "Moreover, Congress should ensure that the benefit is restored in order to continue efforts to encourage public transportation ridership, which helps get cars off the road, reduce emissions, and eliminate lost time and delays. As Congress seeks to improve our economy and create jobs, helping people get to work must be a priority.”