Following recent developments the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act made in various versions in both the House and the Senate, the American Institute of Architects announced that it would lobby aggressively against "significant inequities" the legislation currently represents.

Back in September, the AIA already warned about earlier tax reform proposals and called for caution.

AIA 2017 President Thomas Vonier, FAIA now issued a new statement, alarming that with the current legislation "Congress would be making a terrible mistake":

By weakening the Historic Tax Credits, Congress and the Administration will hurt historic rehabilitation projects all across the country - something to which architects have been committed for decades. Since 1976, the HTCs have generated some $132 billion in private investment, involving nearly 43,000 projects. They are fundamental to maintaining America's architectural heritage.

Unfortunately, both bills for some reason continue to exclude architects and other small business service professions by name from lower tax rates. There's no public policy reason to do this. Design and construction firms do much more than provide a service; they produce a major component of the nation's gross domestic product and are a major catalyst for job growth.

Our members across the country are already mobilized to make sure their Congressional delegations know these views. In the coming days, we will spare no effort to make sure members of the conference committee know the views of the AIA's more than 90,000 members on the inequities in both pieces of legislation.

We say this again: tax reforms must achieve three basic goals to ensure the vitality of small business and the health, safety and welfare of our communities:

• Preserve tax policies that support and strengthen small businesses.
• Support innovative, economically vibrant, sustainable and resilient buildings and communities.
• Ensure fairness.

So far, this legislation still falls well short of these goals. If passed, Congress would be making a terrible mistake.