GOP Tax Scam's Attack on America's Students and Educators
November 9, 2017
As House Republicans finalize a GOP tax scam that will raise taxes on 38 millionmiddle class households in order to hand massive tax breaks to the rich and corporations, Republicans are eliminating major tax deductions benefiting America's hard-working families – including the student loan interest and teacher's expense deductions.
The GOP tax scam will hurt millions of Americans burdened by student loan debt and prevent teachers from offsetting a small but vital portion of the cost of classroom supplies paid for out of their own pockets, while special, deficit-exploding giveaways will be preserved for the wealthiest.
Here is what the student loan interest and educator expense deductions looked like in 2015 in all 50 states. Instead of proposing what they have claimed over and over again to be a ‘middle class bill,' Republicans are pinching these pennies to give more money to the wealthiest one percent and corporations shipping American jobs overseas.
| STATE | Student Loan Interest Deduction Claims | Average Student Loan Deduction | Educator Expense Deduction Claims | Average Educator Expense Deduction |
| Alabama | 132,880 | $1,066 | 47,850 | $254 |
| Alaska | 30,250 | $1,048 | 7,940 | $259 |
| Arizona | 233,340 | $1,022 | 65,980 | $250 |
| Arkansas | 83,880 | $1,037 | 30,920 | $258 |
| California | 1,100,110 | $1,034 | 355,960 | $257 |
| Colorado | 281,920 | $1,095 | 57,780 | $248 |
| Connecticut | 155,840 | $1,120 | 57,320 | $257 |
| Delaware | 33,880 | $1,096 | 11,760 | $257 |
| DC | 40,430 | $1,248 | 6,450 | $240 |
| Florida | 618,450 | $1,039 | 197,190 | $257 |
| Georgia | 334,570 | $1,094 | 123,300 | $256 |
| Hawaii | 45,240 | $1,040 | 15,250 | $251 |
| Idaho | 67,560 | $1,016 | 14,790 | $247 |
| Illinois | 534,460 | $1,122 | 157,480 | $254 |
| Indiana | 285,270 | $1,090 | 61,870 | $251 |
| Iowa | 178,020 | $1,078 | 36,230 | $251 |
| Kansas | 132,030 | $1,049 | 34,650 | $254 |
| Kentucky | 156,800 | $1,017 | 44,250 | $255 |
| Louisiana | 130,460 | $1,016 | 55,690 | $254 |
| Maine | 69,580 | $1,087 | 16,530 | $251 |
| Maryland | 224,230 | $1,107 | 79,640 | $251 |
| Massachusetts | 345,220 | $1,163 | 98,310 | $252 |
| Michigan | 410,650 | $1,105 | 94,810 | $254 |
| Minnesota | 338,000 | $1,095 | 60,190 | $248 |
| Mississippi | 71,310 | $1,031 | 34,470 | $257 |
| Missouri | 255,920 | $1,082 | 68,100 | $254 |
| Montana | 48,980 | $1,026 | 10,630 | $249 |
| Nebraska | 99,260 | $1,063 | 24,660 | $257 |
| Nevada | 81,590 | $1,013 | 25,730 | $260 |
| New Hampshire | 79,130 | $1,157 | 19,420 | $251 |
| New Jersey | 350,350 | $1,160 | 151,890 | $258 |
| New Mexico | 61,910 | $978 | 23,390 | $256 |
| New York | 801,230 | $1,118 | 290,480 | $260 |
| North Carolina | 334,010 | $1,054 | 109,920 | $251 |
| North Dakota | 48,480 | $1,019 | 7,730 | $258 |
| Ohio | 514,840 | $1,138 | 121,110 | $250 |
| Oklahoma | 124,260 | $1,005 | 42,290 | $260 |
| Oregon | 188,940 | $1,068 | 34,990 | $245 |
| Pennsylvania | 651,900 | $1,139 | 149,650 | $252 |
| Rhode Island | 49,330 | $1,095 | 15,950 | $258 |
| South Carolina | 166,760 | $1,082 | 51,410 | $254 |
| South Dakota | 50,590 | $1,095 | 9,490 | $256 |
| Tennessee | 221,200 | $1,069 | 67,270 | $257 |
| Texas | 876,120 | $1,063 | 353,650 | $261 |
| Utah | 107,860 | $950 | 25,760 | $244 |
| Vermont | 41,140 | $1,079 | 8,910 | $254 |
| Virginia | 324,310 | $1,105 | 101,480 | $248 |
| Washington | 293,300 | $1,052 | 66,860 | $254 |
| West Virginia | 58,390 | $1,054 | 17,600 | $256 |
| Wisconsin | 288,620 | $1,055 | 63,910 | $250 |
| Wyoming | 21,830 | $1,040 | 7,220 | $263 |
Source: IRS, SOI Tax Stats - Historic Table 2, Tax Year 2015