Michael Swayze's Community Resources

Category: Politics

  • Direct File: Offers free federal income tax filing

    Millions of tax filers will be able to file electronically, easily and safely, their federal income tax returns directly to the Internal Revenue Service for free, beginning Monday, January 27.

    The Direct File pilot program rolled out to taxpayers in 12 states in 2023. For the upcoming season it will be available to 32 million residents as a permanent program in 25 states, including New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It is available as an option, if you live in any of the following states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington state, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

    Go to directfile.irs.gov then click the box that reads, “Check eligibility now” to see if Direct File suits your needs. If you are not eligible you can connect with alternative filing options, particularly Free File. See https://panjcommunityresources.info/earned-income-tax-credit/.

    There are limitations to the new Direct File program, based on an IRS strategy of implementing new features after vigorous testing.
    1) It does not enable filing with itemizing deductions but is available to those who claim the standard deduction.
    2) There are only 25 states where the program is available, although the agency expects more states to join. (Illinois joined the program in January, 2025.)
    3) Direct File is programmed to accept only certain types of income and household income within a defined income range.
    4) A limited number of tax credits are currently incorporated into Direct File.
    5) You live and only worked in a participating state.

    Earlier this month, 141 Members of Congress sent a letter to Trump nominees in support of the expansion of the Direct File program, maintaining it would save taxpayers $11 Billion. The signers included the following area representatives: Senate: Cory Booker, Andy Kim; House: Donald Norcross (NJ-1), Frank Pallone (NJ-6), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Dwight Evans (PA-3), Madeleine Dean (PA-4), Mary Gay Scanlon (P-5), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-6), Summer Lee (PA-12), and Chris Deluzio (PA-17). For a full list of signers see text of letter.

    Twenty-nine House Republicans, including Mike Kelly (PA-16), issued a press release in December recommending termination of the program.

    The program was part of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, signed by President Biden. Don t let Washington lobbyists get their way again and make you pay $100, $200, or more to some big corporation for the privilege of sending your tax form to the IRS. Providing a way to file directly via Direct File is long overdue.

    For contact information of New Jersey and Pennsylvania representatives, see https://panjcommunityresources.info/nj-pa-congressional-delegations/.

    • Philly Voter Engagement Linktree

      This list of voter engagement links is produced for the benefit of voters in Philadelphia, across Pennsylvania, and for my fellow Democratic Committeepeople. It originated as “Websites for Philadelphia Committeepeople” in 2018. This new set of links is stored as a Linktree page at https://linktr.ee/phillyvoterengagement.

      The set of voter engagement links were compiled to help voters navigate numerous government voting websites and to make canvassing easier for fellow members of the 22nd Ward Open Caucus. Some have suggested it as a useful smartphone tool. The vast majority of links are useful for voters in any part of the state of Pennsylvania. Please share.

      The links appear in the following order:

    • Court Ruling Supports Rights of Committeepeople

      Early yesterday morning I received an another email from a friend and fellow Democratic Committeeperson, sharing historic news about a court ruling issued on June 3rd. The ruling supports rights of Committeepeople against unjust actions by a Ward Leader, my own.

      Here is his email and the accompanying court ruling.

      “I am pleased to announce that a Court Ruling issued on Friday, June 3rd  by Judge Ann Marie B. Coyle in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas represents a complete victory for the disenfranchised 22nd Ward committee persons, validation for the 22nd Ward Open Caucus, and a precedent-setting ruling for the advancement of the Open Wards movement in Philadelphia.

      “The Court Ruling orders the Philadelphia Democratic Party Chairman Robert A, Brady and the Philadelphia County Democratic Committee  to “specifically direct the 22nd Ward Democratic Executive Committee, including its current Ward Leader Cindy Bass, to provide advanced reasonable notification to permit and promote attendance and full participation including voting of all duly elected 22nd Ward Democratic committee persons at all future meetings of the 22nd Ward Democratic City committee including the organizational meeting on June 6, 2022”

      “The order also directs  City Councilwoman and 22nd Ward Leader City Bass  to “cease and desist from excluding duly elected members from attending and fully participating and voting of duly elected 22nd Ward committee persons in all future meetings” and to ” fairly distribute the normal election paraphernalia accorded to all its members” and to ” apply and govern with the referenced Robert Rules of Order to conduct its meetings and encourage civility among its members” and to be “civil and respectful of differing viewpoints of other members”

      “I have attached the formal copy of the Court Order.

      “Profound thanks to Carla Cain for her courage, to her attorney John Carnes in pursuing this legal remedy that sets a precedent that will reverberate far beyond the 22nd Ward, and finally to those of us enjoined in the 22nd Ward Open Caucus. Together we have demonstrated that given faith, determination, perseverance, and solidarity justice can prevail – even in Philadelphia.”

      Special thanks to Maurice Sampson II, Philadelphia Democratic Committeeperson 22-06, and fellow member of the 22nd Ward Open Caucus for permission to share his statement.

      A copy of the Temporary Restraining Order and Special Preliminary Injunction by The Honorable Anne Marie B. Coyle, Judge for the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas is available here.