Testimony

Legislative Session Testimony

• Pa. House Commerce Committee Public Hearing on House Bill 1010, Protecting Pennsylvanians Personal Information - Feb. 25, 2020
  "Every tax professional in the United States -- be they a member of a major accounting firm or an owner of a one-person storefront -- is a potential target for highly sophisticated, well-funded, and technologically adept cybercriminals around the world. Their objective is to steal client data in order to file fraudulent tax returns that better impersonate their victims and are more difficult to detect. In addition, fraudsters are seeking access to information to open credit cards or take out loans under the identity theft victims’ names. Protecting client data is already the law and a priority for tax professionals." Read More

• Pa. House Finance Subcommittee on Tax Modernization & Reform - April 9, 2018
  Presented by Drew Drew VandenBrul, CPA
  "Pennsylvania has the highest corporate income tax rate (except for Iowa, which has a 12 percent tax rate on taxable income over $250,000, but which offers a deduction for federal income taxes, reducing its rate below Pennsylvania). Another important aspect when discussing corporate taxes is how a state’s tax laws conform with the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). State conformity generally falls into one of three categories: (1) rolling conformity, in which states conform to the IRC as currently in effect; (2) fixed date conformity, in which states conform to specific sections of the IRC as in effect on a certain date; (3) selective conformity, in which states conform to specific IRC sections as of specific dates, which may be different dates depending on the IRC section or may pick and choose specific provisions of the IRC to which they conform. Pennsylvania is a rolling conformity state." Read More

• Pa. House Finance Subcommittee on Tax Modernization & Reform - Feb. 20, 2018
  Presented by Jason Skrinak, CPA 
  "The Pennsylvania personal income tax (PIT) is levied against the taxable income of resident and nonresident individuals, estates and trusts, partnerships, S corporations, business trusts, and limited liability companies that are not taxed as corporations for federal purposes. It is difficult to directly compare Pennsylvania’s personal income tax rate with other states because Pennsylvania computes taxable income on gross earnings, while other states compute taxable income on net earnings, like federal taxation." Read More
• Pa. House Finance Committee Testimony - Dec. 12, 2017                                                     
  Presented by Cheri Freeh, CPA, CGMA                                                                                                 
  "The PICPA is a long-time proponent for an efficient and effective state and local tax system based on principles of good tax policy. PICPA members championed the passage of legislation that consolidated and reformed the local earned income tax collection process, what is now Act 32 of 2008. We need a tax system that is administrable, stimulates economic growth, has minimal compliance costs, and allows Pennsylvania taxpayers to understand their tax obligations. The PICPA believes the new process of reviewing Schedule C violates several principles of good tax policy, namely certainty, simplicity, and economy of collection. These features of a tax system, along with the other principles, are achievable if principles of good tax policy are considered in the design of the system." Read More 

• Pa. House Finance Committee Testimony - Oct. 17, 2017
  Presented by PICPA 
  "Local income taxes in Pennsylvania are variously termed earned income taxes, wage taxes, net profits taxes, or a combination of these terms. Local income taxes were first authorized in 1932 by the Sterling Act for the City of Philadelphia. The Local Tax Enabling Act – known as Act 511 – authorizes local earned income taxes (EIT) for all other municipalities and school districts covering the remainder of Pennsylvania. The tax is levied on the wages, salaries, commissions, net profits, or other compensation of persons subject to the jurisdiction of the taxing body." Read More
• Pa. Senate Transportation Committee Testimony -  Feb. 8, 2017
  Presented by Allison M. Henry, CPA, CGMA
  "Almost every organization—whether it’s a privately held business, a publicly owned
  corporation, or a nonprofit organization—must prepare reports on financial performance. Such
  reports help owners and manager make operating decisions, enable creditors to evaluate loan
  applications, and provide individuals with information to make investment decisions." Read full.
• Pa. House Finance Committee Testimony - Oct. 5, 2016
  Presented by David Caplan, CPA, and James Newhard, CPA
  "On behalf of the PICPA, thank you for the opportunity to discuss with you the
  Philadelphia nonresident wage tax credit/net profits tax credit, commonly referred to as the
  “super credit.” We understand that there is legislation pending before this committee that
  seeks to change the current application of the super credit. PICPA will not be taking a position
  on this legislation at this time; our role here today is to provide you with a technical
  understanding of the law and how it is currently applied." Read full.
• Pa. House Commerce Committee Testimony on HB 1240 - Nov. 17, 2015  
  Presented by Lisa Myers, CPA, CFE, MAFF
  "PICPA members occupy a unique position in the not-for-profit paradigm. We serve
  as board members, CFOs, and CEOs of Pennsylvania’s largest and smallest charitable
  organizations. We also serve as independent, outside auditors of these entities. It is from
  this position that we offer the following suggestion to amend the law, which is not currently
  provided for in Rep. Quinn’s bill." Read full.
• Pa. House Finance Committee Testimony - Oct. 6, 2015
  Presented by David Caplan, CPA and Steve Geisenberger, CPA
• Pa. Senate Finance Committee Testimony - June 10, 2015
  Presented by Jason C. Skrinak, CPA
• Outline of Pa. House Finance Committee Testimony Re: Combined Reporting - April 15, 2015
  Presented by Raymond M. Chopper, CPA, and Matthew D. Melinson, CPA, MT
• Pa. House Finance Committee Testimony - March 31, 2015
  Presented by Susan E.S. Howe, CPA, and Dan Schulder, Esq., CPA
• Pa. House Education Committee Testimony Re: Financial Literacy in the Classroom  - Oct. 6, 2014
  Presented by Robert C. Jazwinski, CPA