TAX TALK

Published by the Section of Taxation of the Maryland State Bar Association, Inc.

· Jonathan Z. May, Chair ·  
Stephanie Ketchum, Editor, 
Catherine Mary Rafferty, Asst. Editor

From The Chair
Jonathan Z. May

As this is my inaugural message to the Section of Taxation, I would first like to extend a word of thanks to all of you for the confidence you have placed in me to serve as your Section Chair. I am truly honored and look forward to guiding the Section through the challenges we face this year. I would also like to extend thanks to all the members of the Section Council and all committee chairs, vice-chairs and members for their commitment to the Section. As in the past, this year’s Section Council and Committee members consist of an outstanding group of individuals, all of whom are dedicated to ensuring that the Section’s many excellent programs continue to provide relevance and value to our membership.

As in past years, the Section will continue to coordinate a number of outstanding programs for our members. On tap this fall will be our second annual "Tax Professionals Networking Night" on Wednesday, November 13th. Attendance at last year’s event was great, and we are looking for an even better turnout this year. Notices with the date and time have gone out to all Section members, as well as other tax professionals and selected governmental officials. So take this opportunity to make contacts with others in your field in a friendly and relaxed setting. If you have any questions about the event, please contact our Program Chair, Richard Lindstrom, at rlindstrom@gfrlaw.com.

For those looking for pro bono opportunities, make a note that the Section will again be coordinating (in cooperation with the Maryland Volunteer Lawyer Service) the Earned Income Tax Credit Clinic (the "EITC Clinic") this coming winter. We will be seeking volunteers to help prepare returns for clinic clients. If you have not done it before, it only takes a little training (even if you know little or nothing about preparing income tax returns) and a few hours on a Saturday on your part to provide some real help to hard-working people who need it. I know you will find it to be a rewarding experience. For information on the EITC Clinic, please contact our Pro Bono Chair, Caroline Ciraolo, at cdc@msbpa.com.

Looking forward, one of our goals this year will be to explore issues relating to Section membership. A broad and diverse membership is important for many reasons, not the least of which are having a pool of interested individuals from which to draw for projects and committees, and funding the budget to support the Section’s activities (much of which is based on the dues paid by Section members to the MSBA). In the last few years, while the Section continued its award-winning programs and embarked on important new initiatives, there has been a disturbing downward trend in the number of Section members. This trend has resulted in an increasingly negative impact on the Section’s budget, and will require us to make some hard decisions about trimming the level of spending on various projects and programs. For example, we will be "publishing" the next issue of Tax Talk in electronic form to save printing and mailing costs.

Over the long term, however, these budget is sues cannot be addressed solely by spending reductions. In order to have a strong, vibrant Section that continues to provide high quality programs of value, not only to members of the Section but to the members of the bar at large, we need all of you to maintain your membership in the Section AND we need your help in promoting Section membership to other attorneys whose interests are aligned with the goals of the Section. To those attorneys that are not members of the Section, perhaps the word "tax" in our Section’s name is perceived as daunting or narrowly focused, and thus dampens their enthusiasm for joining. Others may perceive the Section as less relevant to their practices. However, it is my belief that such views can be overcome in most cases if one appreciates that most transactions, whether personal or business in nature, have one or more tax components (income tax, capital gains tax, sales tax, transfer tax, excise tax, etc.) that must be addressed (or at least understood). In that regard, the universe of attorneys who are advising clients on tax-related issues is actually quite large, and those attorneys can benefit their practices and clients by joining the Section and supporting its programs, projects and initiatives. Thus, I look forward to your continued support and I ask for your help in promoting the Section to your colleagues.

On the topic of your involvement in the Section, I encourage you to look over the list of Section committees included in this edition of Tax Talk and get involved by contacting the Chair or Vice-Chair of a committee in which you have an interest. I think you will find that there are many interesting and rewarding committee projects where you can lend your enthusiasm and skills. After all, this is your Section – so get involved. You will have the opportunity to learn, meet and get to know some of the outstanding professionals in your field, and (dare I say it) have some fun!

Finally, this column would not be complete without recognizing the accomplishments and tireless efforts of our immediate past Chair, Robin Denick. Robin’s dedication to the Section and her organizational skills are inspirational. Through her leadership, a number of new initiatives were successfully launched last year, not the least of which include the Tax Professionals Networking Night and the mentoring program designed to provide newer Section members a resource for obtaining practical advice from our more seasoned members. I, for one, look forward to Robin’s continued guidance and participation in Section activities this year in her role as immediate past Chair.