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Friday, February 1, 2008

That Horrible Bill…

posted by on February 1 at 14:44 PM

… I was watching earlier this week—the one that would allow H&R Block to expand their Refund Anticipation Loan business by farming out the controversial (high-interest) service to 7-Elevens, Wal-Marts, and payday-loan outlets—is reportedly stalling.

The bill’s very own sponsor—Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos (D-37, South Seattle)—actually used this week’s hearing on the bill to get more clarity from the actual sponsor, H&R Block, by asking their lobbyist some tough questions in public.

Most of all, she said the bill seemed to contradict H&R Block’s commitment to personable service. Basically, she wanted to know how moving this piece of their business to a payday-loan outlet or a 7-Eleven—where a random clerk gets your personal financial info and signs off on your RAL—is in synch with H&R Block’s hands-on customer service.

Having the bill’s own legislative sponsor, Representative Santos, playing bad cop doesn’t bode well for the bill.

Afterward, the committee chair, Representative Steve Kirby (D-29, Lakewood), told the committee that even though he was scheduling the bill for a vote (next Tuesday at 8:00 a.m.), he was only doing so as a technical matter, and it isn’t likely he’ll actually move it.

We shall see.

RSS icon Comments

1

How is this bill in the best interest of ANYONE (besides the obvious)? Just go to the library if you have tax questions. If your taxes are too complex for that, you can probably afford a specialist. Shit, some IRS offices want to help you.

What we don't need is to expand the unscrupulous industries that prey on the bottom income earners.

Posted by Dougsf | February 1, 2008 3:37 PM
2

Is Santos on crack? Seriously. If I want to start a business that takes $50 out of everyone in the state's bank account for no reason, can I just go ask a legislator to set it all up for me?

Posted by Fnarf | February 1, 2008 5:06 PM
3

Oddly enough, just today someone I know found their stolen paycheck (get direct deposit, I know, but anyway...) had been cashed at a Checks Cashed branch. The second time I've know someone that this has happened to.

Those places suck.

Posted by Dougsf | February 1, 2008 6:36 PM
4

After the Revolution we should torch all H & R Blocks and payday loan places and pay those employees to do something better with their lives - like teaching literacy and reading to children and the elderly.

Posted by Bauhaus | February 1, 2008 6:46 PM
5

Who is the H&R Block lobbyist? And why didn't Sharon Tomiko Santos read the bill or at least have staff read it before she signed on? Sloppy, and more than a little infuriating.

Posted by ahava | February 1, 2008 6:57 PM

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