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Maryland State Delegates propose CAP income tax bill

Weiss testifies at hearing
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Col. Jerry Weiss, Civil Air Patrol Maryland Wing commander, testifies at the recent Maryland State House Ways and Means Committee hearing regarding the income tax subtraction bill sponsored by Del. Nancy Stocksdale (center). Weiss was assisted by Cadet Capt. Kathleen Crockett (far end). (Photo credit: Maj. George R. Murray, CAP)

Thirty CAP members show support at Ways and Means hearing

By Maj. George R. Murray, Jr., CAP
Public Affairs Officer, Wicomico Composite Squadron

3/9/2010–Annapolis, MD–On 4 March 2010, Civil Air Patrol Maryland Wing Commander, Col. Jerry Weiss, CAP, and Cadet Capt. Kathleen Crockett, CAP, Cadet Commander of the Frederick Composite Squadron, appeared before the Maryland House of Delegates Ways and Means Committee in Annapolis, Md.,  to support House Bill 754. This proposed legislation was introduced by Delegate Nancy Stocksdale (R-District 5A) and currently has 22 co-sponsors.

If enacted, the  bill would provide for the inclusion of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) with other organizations that receive an income subtraction from their members’ Maryland state income taxes as a way to offset their volunteer service expenses. This is the same privilege currently granted to the U. S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and volunteer fire, rescue or emergency medical service personnel.

Twenty-five Maryland Wing members from throughout the state were present during the meeting. Col. Weiss asked them to stand to add impact to his comments describing the services provided by CAP volunteers to Maryland citizens. Cadet Capt. Crockett, who is currently serving as a Maryland House of Representatives’ page and will be attending Texas A & M University this Fall, provided meaningful remarks about her CAP service, how it has significantly contributed to her successes, and continues to inspire her goals for the future.  Crockett is also a graduate of CAP's national cadet Civic Leadership Academy.

After the meeting, some of the CAP members took the opportunity to visit their delegates and update them on CAP activities. Some of these delegates, as honorary CAP Majors, are members of the Maryland Wing Legislative Squadron commanded by Lt. Col. Rory Garnice, CAP.

Editor's Note:  Col. Jerry Weiss, Maryland Wing commander,  recently sent the following message to all Maryland Wing members requesting their support for this bill.

The Maryland Wing is in the process of trying to get a valuable member benefit passed in the General Assembly. It involves an Income Tax - Subtraction Modification. On March 4th about thirty members of the Wing were present to hear testimony in support of this Bill. Attached are a few items for your review and action:

1. E-Mail from Lt Col Rory Garnice explaining the Bill under consideration.

2. Letter from Delegate Stockdale asking Maryland Wing members to contact members of the Ways and Means Committee who heard testimony on March 4th.

3. A list of the members of the Ways and Means Committee. 

If you are not sure who represents you, please go to the following link and input your address. http://mdelect.net/electedofficials/ The list of your elected officials will appear down the left side of your screen. 

I ask all members, especially those whose Delegates are on the Ways and Means Committee, to contact the members as Delegate Stockdale has requested to urge them to support this Bill. 

Thank you for your support.


The Civil Air Patrol, the official auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force, is a nonprofit organization with 58,000 members nationwide. CAP, in its Air Force auxiliary role, performs 90 percent of continental U.S. inland search and rescue missions as tasked by the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center and was credited by the AFRCC with saving 72 lives in fiscal year 2009. Its volunteers also perform homeland security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions at the request of federal, state and local agencies. The members play a leading role in aerospace education and serve as mentors to more than 23,000 young people currently participating in CAP cadet programs. CAP has been performing missions for America for 68 years.

There are more than 1,400 members of CAP in Maryland. Last fiscal year wing members flew 42 search and rescue missions and were credited with 31 finds. For more information about the CAP, visit www.mdcap.org.