Chair�s Message

Chair’s Message

Mark Landy, CPA

In late May of this year,_{^{the AICPA held its Spring Meeting of Council in Washington D.C. The agenda for this meeting included a “Congressional Visitation Program.” The goal of the visitation program was to provide for an exchange of information with members of Congress on legislative issues of concern to CPAs, and to garner support for the profession’s position on those issues.}}

_{^{Peggy Ullmann, Cindie Hubiak, Larry Field, Ken Husband, Dan Baran and I divided into two teams to visit Arizona’s Congressional Delegation. Cindie Hubiak, Larry Field and Ken Husband met with Congressmen Shadegg, Renzi, Kolbe, and Flake. Peggy Ullman, Dan Baran and I met with Congressmen Hayworth, Pastor and Franks and Senators McCain and Kyl. We were able to meet with Senator Kyl, and Congressmen Hayworth, Renzi, Flake and Shadegg in person. In addition, we met with staff from the offices of Senator McCain and Congressmen Franks, Pastor and Kolbe. I’d like to thank Cindie Hubiak, the ASCPA staff and the Society’s lobbyist Kevin DeMenna and his office for making our appointments to meet with the Congressional Delegation.}}

_{^{The issues we discussed with each member of the Congressional Delegation included social security, tax reform, financial literacy and the Gramm-Leach Bliley Act. We provided each member of the Congressional Delegation with the AICPA’s nonpartisan report Understanding Social Security Reforms: The Issues and Alternatives, and suggested that the AICPA and Society be used as resources for this topic.}}

_{^{We discussed the fact that currently, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act applies to CPAs and requires that CPAs make annual privacy disclosures to their clients, which is an unnecessary regulatory burden. We requested that our Congressmen support H.R. 2387, the Privacy Protection Act of 2005. This legislation would exempt CPAs from being legally obligated to make annual privacy disclosures to their clients.}}

_{^{In the area of tax reform we discussed estate taxes, the effects of alternative minimum tax and tax simplification. The Congressional Delegation seemed most concerned about the effect alternative minimum tax has on the average taxpayer. Most of the Congressional Delegation had no idea that it was estimated that 3.5 million taxpayers paid alternative minimum tax in 2004; similarly, they did not realize that figure is projected to rise to 33 million taxpayers by 2010.}}

_{^{We also informed the Congressional Delegation about the profession’s 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy Program and affirmed our profession’s dedication to providing a comprehensive approach to financial education, focusing on information consumers need at every life stage.}}

_{^{We were well received by each member of the Congressional Delegation. I’d like to thank the Congressmen, Senators and their staffs for meeting with us, and listening to our concerns. Although each meeting was only 20 to 30 minutes long, we tried, and I believe succeeded, in impressing upon each member of the delegation that Arizona, as well as America, counts on CPAs.}}

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