Exclusive: Congressman Byron Donalds believes Ian tax relief is stalled in senate

Congressman Byron Donalds exclusively told Wink News as it is now. He does not believe the Hurricane Ian tax relief bill will pass the Senate anytime soon in its current form.

Donalds said the Senate is notorious for “slow-walking things.”

Right now, the qualified disaster portion of the bill is sandwiched in a bigger tax bill. Donalds doesn’t think it will pass in the Senate, at least not anytime soon.

Donalds said victims of Hurricane Ian don’t have time to wait.

“My ask of the speaker is that the disaster recovery portion of the tax package be put on a standalone bill in the house. It’ll pass, and it’d be sent to the Senate that way people in southwest Florida and even around the country, who are having to deal with repairing their property can actually deduct those expenses from their taxes. I think that’s a simple thing to do,” he said.

Congressman Greg Steube, who has also pushed the bill, said he supports senate passage through whichever vehicle is most expedient.

WINK reached out to Florida senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio to see what they’re doing to get the tax relief passed.

Scott’s office sent in a statement to WINK News.

“For nearly a year, Senator Scott has been fighting to pass his Hurricane Tax Relief Act and provide much-needed disaster-loss tax relief to Florida families impacted by Hurricane Ian. He fully expects his bill to pass and won’t stop fighting until that’s done and the Hurricane Tax Relief Act is signed into law.”

We will let you know when we hear back from Rubio.