DEPARTMENT OF TAXATION ANNOUNCEMENT NO. 2001-1
January 4, 2001


RE:  List of Candidates for Political Office Who Have Registered With the Campaign Spending Commission

Hawaii allows an income tax deduction for political contributions, including contributions to candidates for political office.

Section 235-7(g)(2), Hawaii Revised Statutes, permits an individual taxpayer to deduct from taxable income an aggregate amount up to $1,000 ($2,000 on a joint return) a year for  contributions to political candidates under the following conditions:

  1. The political candidates have agreed to abide by the campaign spending limits set by law, and
  2. The maximum allowable deduction is $250 ($500 on a joint return) to any single candidate.
Individuals may deduct contributions to the political candidates listed in the attachment to this announcement if the contributions were made after the candidates' start dates and prior to the termination dates, if any.  Contributions made before the start dates or after the termination dates cannot be claimed as a deduction.  The candidates' start dates are listed in the attachment under "AFFIDAVIT" and their termination dates are listed under "TERM."

The listing of political candidates who complied with the above two conditions was provided by the Campaign Spending Commission (Commission).  The listing is also posted on the Commission's web page at:  www.hawaii.gov/campaign/ForTax/2000taxinfo.htm.  If you have any questions regarding the listing, call the Commission at:  586-0285 or e-mail them at:  aloha@csc.state.hi.us.

For more detailed information regarding this deduction, refer to Tax Information Release (TIR) No. 80-5, dated April 3, 1980.  That TIR is still valid, except that Form N-170 is obsolete and no longer required and the amount of the maximum deduction to any single candidate has been increased.

Forms and other tax information may be downloaded from the Department's website at: www.hawaii.gov/tax/.  On Oahu, forms may be ordered by calling the Department's Forms Request Line at:  808-587-7572.  Persons who are not calling from Oahu, may call:  1-800-222-7572 to receive forms by mail or 808-678-0522 from a fax machine to receive forms by fax.
 

/s/
MARIE Y. OKAMURA
Director of Taxation