Some taxpayers who filed before Feb. 10 can file amended return for state payments

By JOE MUELLER THE CENTER SQUARE STAFF REPORTER

(The Center Square) —

Taxpayers in California and 20 other states who filed 2022 federal income tax returns before Feb. 10 and reported specific state tax refunds as taxable should consider filing an amended return, the Internal Revenue Service announced Tuesday.

Cole

Continued from Page A1 independents so we can get back to 50% (of the vote),” said Mr. Cole.

The News-Press asked Mr. Cole, who earned his law degree in 2000 from the Southern California Institute of Law, how his career has prepared him for a seat in Congress.

“As a builder and developer, I see how businesses work and how regulation can kill businesses. There are too many regulations, and we need to roll back regulations.

My interest in politics, a great deal of reading, conservative radio and conservative reading has formed my opinions and beliefs.”

Mr. Cole identified three main issues that he felt were the most important: school choice, energy and medical freedom.

“When parents learn what is being taught to their kids, they would be more outraged than what they are now,” said Mr. Cole. He told the News-Press he favors school vouchers so that parents have a choice about where and how to educate their children.

“Education is about children, not a feathery bed for teachers unions,” said Mr. Cole.

Mr. Cole wrote an article covering education and other topics: “On The Issue of Choice.” You can find it at www. coalition4liberty.com/post/onthe-issue-of-choice.

In February, the IRS clarified the federal tax status involving special payments made to taxpayers in 2022. The IRS determined that “in the interest of sound tax administration and other factors, taxpayers in many states will not need to report these payments” on 2022 returns. The IRS will not challenge the taxability of state payments related to general welfare and disaster relief.

In the article, Mr. Cole wrote, “School choice means parent involvement and input to curriculum, location and style of education. Today’s left totally rejects these principles of school choice. Instead our leftist school boards, school supervisors, and teachers for the most part, tell us that gender training, porn ed books in schools, anti white racism and critical race theory are what really matter for a decent education.”

Taxpayers in the following states don’t need to report these payments on their 2022 return: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.

Taxpayers who filed returns in these states should check their returns to ensure they paid tax on the state refund before

Cole.

Fyi

To learn more about Republican congressional candidate Thomas Cole, see coalition4liberty.com.

According to Mr. Cole’s article “On The Issue Of Choice”: “... when it suited leftist government, and this means county supervisors, government medical officials and government school officials, we were locked down, shut down, closed down, pushed around, gagged and fired. Then forced to take and have our children take an untested solution, while signing away all rights to sue if damages occurred.”

Bottoms

Continued from Page A1 cracks. The perspective of an 8-year-old is crystal clear, and “The Pier” urges you to connect with your own 8-year-old self.

When asked what he gains from sharing this story, Mr. Bottoms reflects on how he gets to meet new people and speak with people who read books.

“I learned how to make a book, which is a very long process,” he said. “I’ve done all of this myself, and I’m very thankful for getting to know Gail and Tom Steinbeck during this process.”

The late Thomas Steinbeck lived with his wife Gail in Montecito until his death in 2016. Mr. Steinbeck’s father was the legendary author John Steinbeck. Timothy Bottom’s book, “The Pier,” details the adventures of his 8-year-old self and covers all things fishing. He hopes to connect his readers with their own childhoods, teach his audience more about the Santa Barbara pier, and promote kindness and patience in his words. email: klogan@newspress.com

Fyi

Timothy Bottoms will discuss his book “The Pier” and sign copies at 6 p.m. April 19 at Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State St., Santa Barbara. For more information, see www. chaucersbooks.com or call 805-6824067.

filing an amended return.

The IRS published a list of individual states and how the federal government will treat the special refunds or rebates.

Taxpayers who submitted their original 2022 return electronically may also file an amended return electronically and select direct deposit for any refund. Direct deposit isn’t available on amended returns submitted on paper.

right to self-defense inside and outside of your house,” Mr. Cole said.

“I believe the Second Amendment was made for one reason, to protect the first,” he said.

Mr. Cole said the crucial component in slowing down school shootings is improved mental health care. “Looking at the data it’s a very difficult issue.”

On the issue of energy, Mr. Cole said, “Stopping oil drilling and pumping is a huge problem and causes a great loss of jobs.

Cheap and plentiful energy is a requirement for businesses and families to thrive and abundant energy is what built our state and nation — cheap, abundant energy.”

Mr. Cole has also commented about medical freedom. “The government has gone too far with pandemic response. Everything was locked down stepping on people’s rights.

The government has gone too far. I would have run things differently if I was in Rep. Carbajal’s position,” said Mr.

“It all comes back to freedom, medical freedom, educational freedom and letting businesses decided. Let the free market economy run,” said Mr. Cole.

“I am what I am terming a ‘Dobbs Republican.’ Under established privacy doctrine, women cannot be forced to have an abortion any more than the government can prevent an abortion,” Mr. Cole said. “That has always been the taboo for the Republican Party. I think it’s time for Republicans to triangulate and think logically about this. It is a state issue.”

Mr. Cole emphasized his support for the Second Amendment “I’m a ‘hella Republican.’ The Second Amendment means what it says. You have the

The News-Press asked Mr. Cole what he learned from his unsuccessful run for chair of the California Republican Party.

“I had a chance to run, and I decided this would be a good chance to get in front of 900 delegates. I learned that many delegates are not yet interested in moderating on abortion. I did learn that it was not a popular issue.

“I think it is the only issue we can get out of the way so that people can see our good, conservative issues,” Mr. Cole said.

“It’s time to get the Marxists out of government and out of our schools because all of these policies are Marxist policies, and they destroy the family, and the education systems and remove weapons from the hands of regular people who are left defenseless.” email: kzehnder@newspress.com

Managing Editor Dave Mason dmason@newspress.com

Three painters show their work at Palm Loft Gallery

By MARILYN MCMAHON NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER

Paintings by Rick Drake, Kerri Hedden and Tom Henderson are currently on display in an exhibition at the Palm Loft Gallery, 410 Palm Ave., Loft A-1, in Carpinteria.

“Rooted and Reaching” is the title of the exhibit, which ends May 28.

Mr. Drake, who is not an artist by early training, attended Beloit College in Wisconsin and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in history, eventually training to teach in Montessori schools and adding a master’s degree in reading from UCSB along the way.

“I started painting at age 50 when my wife bought me a set of watercolors and instruction with talented local artist John Iwerks. That start gave me a sample of what painting outdoors was about — the noticing of details one sees when observing from one place for a period of time,” said Mr. Drake, who soon switched to oils, a medium better suited to a slow pace.

“An artist friend told me that it would take 10 years to develop the needed skill, and it did. I continued to take art classes with Iwerks on Saturdays in SBCC’s adult education program and spent what time I could painting, along with my regular teaching schedule.”

After retirement from teaching, Mr. Drake had the opportunity to look more closely at the South Coast’s natural world in all weather, light and shadow and found he was having more fun painting as well as better results. He is a member of the Santa Barbara Art Association, Goleta Valley Art Association, SCAPE (Southern California Artists Painting for the Environment) and the Oak Group.