Public school tax credit

by David Safier

Give money to a public school for free! Really! It won't cost you a penny! Do it before December 31 and get 100% back when you file your state taxes!

This is for real. All of you who believe schools are underfunded should do it. Remember, it won't cost you a penny, and it will benefit the public school(s) of your choice.

If you pay Arizona taxes, here's how it works. 

• Give as much as $200 for an individual or $400 for a couple to any Arizona public school (or divide it among a number of schools) before December 31.
• When you fill out your Arizona taxes, complete the short-and-simple tax credit form (It was Form 322 last year). 
• Subtract the entire amount you gave from the tax you owe. It's a credit, not a deduction. So if you owe $1,000 and you donated $400, your total tax will be $600. Like I said before, it doesn't cost you a penny. 

The school districts make it very easy for you. Go to this page if you want to give money to a TUSD school, and it'll tell you everything you need to know. You can go to other districts' websites or call their head office if you want to give to schools in other districts.

Who should you give to? I always look at TUSD's list of schools that received the least tax credit contributions and choose from that list.

Do any of you have suggestions for specific schools to give to? If so, put them in the comments, and if they're reasonable, I'll move them up to the main page.

Comments

[Patrick]

Let me recommend the Madison Park school in the Madison Elementary District in Phoenix. They are a low-income school in a generally high income school district. Unfortunately, when one donates to a school, it cannot be shared with any other school, even if in the same school district. That results in pretty gross inequities in some districts. In Madison, Simis and Meadows schools (at the district's more wealthy north end) are brimming with tax credit money while Madison Park gets relatively little. Madison Park is also a great school - it consistently outperforms what its demographic indicators of success. It has a dynamic principal. It is also a middle-school and since the credits can only be used for extracurricular activities, it has a great need as it is in those grades that more eligible activities occur. Just Google "Madison Park Middle School Phoenix" for the address and the donation information. Thanks!

[Bess1919]

I suggest Lynn/Urquides Elementary in TUSD. L/U is located at Mission and Ajo. We are the largest elementary school in TUSD with over 900 students. Ninety five per cent of our students are eligible for free and reduced lunch. We also have six self-contained Special Education classes, two with severely and profoundly disabled children. Lynn/Urquides also has an excellent principal and dedicated staff. This is a school worthy of your tax credit.