This blog rarely gets political, but a new retail-related bill that passed a House of Representatives vote last week is worth your attention.

According to an article in The New York Times, the Energy and Tax Extenders Act of 2008 would let retailers write off their remodeling costs over 15 years instead of the current 39 years. The bill would apply whether you owned or leased your retail space.

I’m on the side of the National Retail Federation (NRF) on this, and I encourage you to support the bill as well. As the NRF says, “the shorter period will help boost the economy by encouraging more store and restaurant owners to re-invest in their businesses.” The bill also would provide tax incentives for those retailers who go green, which is even more reason to get behind it.

The Senate is supposed to consider the measure next week. If you agree that its passage is a great way to assist retailers and stimulate the economy, contact your state senator’s office to let them know how you feel. It’s easy to do on the Senate’s web page that provides links to each senator’s “contact me” page. Just fill in the form fields and off your message goes. Democracy in action, courtesy of the Internet Age.

I’ll be watching the news next week to see how the bill fares. If you’ve ever wondered about how you senator feels about your business, this is the time to find out. And all it takes is a few clicks of your mouse.