Guest column: Use your tax dollars to help your local school district

Hello friends and families of the Williams Unified School District (WUSD).

This letter is to remind you about an opportunity to donate to our schools and receive a credit on your state income taxes.

What is school tax credit?

Donations to public schools have always been tax deductible. A tax deduction allows you to subtract the contribution amount from your taxable income. If you work in Arizona and pay state taxes, the tax credit will save you dollar for dollar on the amount of taxes you owe. Arizona individual state income taxpayers can receive a tax credit of as much as $200 and married couples filing jointly as much as $400.

For a tax credit to be claimed for 2013 the donation must be postmarked or delivered by Dec. 31.

You have a choice. You can send all your tax dollars to the state or have some of them used directly to improve education in Williams. This is available to all Arizona taxpayers whether or not you have children in public school or whether or not you live in the Williams School District.

To support any of the extra-curricular programs, write a check to the district with a form available at the district office or either the high school or elementary-middle school office. Please write which extracurricular activity you wish to support. You can also mark either school and your donation will go into their general account. Send your check to the district office, 411 N. Sixth St., Williams, AZ 86046. You will be provided a receipt verifying that you have contributed to an eligible activity. When you file your taxes, claim your tax credit on your state income tax return.

Thank you for your continued support of WUSD.

Rachel Savage

WUSD2 Superintendent