The Military Family Relief Fund, the most popular tax checkoff in Colorado, is set to expire this year. Today, a bill by Senator Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora) to extend the checkoff (House Bill 1037) passed the Senate. Senator Carroll created the Fund in 2005 after her paralegal was deployed to Iraq from inactive Army Reserves. The reduction in pay meant he and his family lost their home.Speaking about her reason for carrying HB 1037, Senator Carroll said:
“It is wrong that anyone should be financially penalized for serving our country. The very least we can do is to help offset the financial hardships created by deployment.”
Senator Carroll’s vision became a reality and the Fund has since raised over $1 million dollars to help military families facing deployment-related hardships because of the generosity of Colorado taxpayers.
The Fund is used for emergency grants to help Colorado military families serving in all branches, active or reserve and the National Guard. The checkoff was scheduled to be repealed at the end of this year, and Senator Carroll wants to continue the success of the program.
The bill received initial approval by unanimous vote of the full Senate today. The bill requires one final vote by the Senate before going to the governor for his signature.
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