Collins: Senate bill will include property-tax deduction

Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said Friday that the Senate bill will include her amendment to restore a property-tax deduction — an agreement that makes it more likely that she will vote for the measure.

“Delighted that the Senate has agreed to include my property tax deduction amendment, that will allow 166,000 Maine taxpayers who itemize to deduct a total of $725 million in property taxes each year,” she said on twitter.

Collins has not yet announced how she will vote on the bill but sounds increasingly positive about it. 

“I’m pleased with the progress that’s being made, but I’ll announce my decision in a couple of hours,” she told reporters earlier Friday morning just after leaving a GOP conference meeting.

Senate Republicans earlier Friday morning secured the votes they need for the bill to pass, with GOP Sens. Ron Johnson (Wis.), Steve Daines (Mont.) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.) all coming on board.

Under Collins’s amendment, people who itemize their deductions will be able to deduct up to $10,000 in state and local property taxes. A similar provision was included in the House-passed bill to win over GOP House members from blue states such as New York and California.