Grad tax not part of recently passed Senate bill

Rosie+Davila+gathered+with+other+Lexingtonians+at+Triangle+Park+in+downtown+Lexington%2C+Kentucky+to+protest+the+Tax+Cuts+and+Jobs+Act+that+was+passed+the+morning+of+Saturday%2C+December+2%2C+2017.+Photo+by+Arden+Barnes+%7C+Staff

Rosie Davila gathered with other Lexingtonians at Triangle Park in downtown Lexington, Kentucky to protest the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was passed the morning of Saturday, December 2, 2017. Photo by Arden Barnes | Staff

Rick Childress

The controversial tax on tuition waivers that was included in the House tax bill is not included in the bill that narrowly passed through the Senate on Saturday morning. 

American Council on Education President Ted Mitchell released a statement Saturday that said that the Senate bill is a “significant improvement over the measure passed by the House.”

However, the statement said that the bill could cause donors to give less charitable donations to colleges and universities as the incentives for donating will be significantly reduced.

“(T)he tax reform proposal approved by the Senate could make college more expensive and undermine the financial stability of higher education institutions,” the statement read. “This is simply wrong-headed.”

In a Friday statement, Jay Blanton said that UK President Eli Capilouto would be traveling to Washington next week to discuss the graduate tax, and other issues with elected representatives.