Contacts
Southern California War Tax Resistance
2436 Armstrong Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90039
E-Mail: scwtr@yahoo.com
Joe Maizlish, (323) 252-4845, goodwork@igc.org
April 15th, 2009
Archive for April, 2009
Defying the IRS: NO to War Taxes; YES to Peacemaking
Tweaking the notion that death and taxes are inevitable, a local group of peaceniks are withholding their tax dollars so they won’t be used for war-making, then redirecting them to groups that work for justice and peace.
War tax resisters in Southern California have awarded $3100 to eleven organizations. Money for the grants came from interest on a fund made up of refused taxes. The Southern California War Tax Alternative Fund was created in 1979 and has given away more than $58,000 over the years.
A “war tax resister” is anyone who refuses to pay a portion of their federal income tax because they don’t want their tax dollars used to make war, or lives below the taxable limit so that they owe no federal taxes.
An analysis of the federal funds budget for Fiscal Year 2009 concluded that 54 cents of every dollar collected by the IRS goes to pay for war–past, present and future. (See .PDF file at: www.warresisters.org).
Organizations that received SCWTAF grants for 2009 are listed below
- 9to5 Los Angeles–Fighting for rights and respect for women in the workplace
- Arlington West–Presenting films at schools about war and its effects
- California Partnership–Building coalition fighting poverty in California
- Coalition Against Militarism in the Schools–Supplying information left out of military recruitment messages
- Critical Resistance Los Angeles –Educating and campaigning against massive imprisonment in California
- Families to Amend California’s Three Strikes–Campaigning to amend three strikes law to exclude non-violent offenses from triggering 3 strikes penalties
- Global Voices for Justice–Recording and distributing talks and presentations on global justice issues
- Global Womens Strike–Educating and campaigning on peacemaking and social and gender equality
- Killradio.org–Producing anti-corporate internet media
- National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Council–Coordinating communication among war tax resistance groups around the U.S.)
- Union de Vecinos–Campaign to reclaim spaces for peace from gangs in East Los Angeles
April 15th, 2009
About
The Southern California War Tax Resistance supports nonviolent refusal to pay for war. The ultimate vote of the populace is whether they give their lives and labor and earnings to the war system. People affiliated with SCWTR hold a variety of opinions about specific wars and war in general, and practice various forms of war tax resistance. We oppose the destruction warfare wreaks on civilians, on soldiers, on the environment, and on the societies and economies war touches, and we favor redirection of those energies and materiel to peaceable fulfillment of human and environmental needs.
SCWTR provides counseling on war tax resistance, education about the methods and consequences of various acts of refusal, public presentations, and activities such as the Southern California War Tax Alternative Fund. The Fund grants interest earned on a fund of refused taxes to many constructive projects and organizations (see more detailed description).
SCWTR was established in 1979. It is an affiliate of the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee.
One of SCWTR’s goals is to make war tax resistance a known option for the many who march or work for peace – but pay for war.
Some supporters of SCWTR are not themselves refusers. Others refuse small amounts of income or excise tax. All are welcome.
REMINDER:
How wtr activities continue and grow depends on your suggestions for outreach opportunities and your participation. Please send you ideas (and offers of help) to:
The War Tax Alternative Fund
The Southern California War Tax Alternative Fund (SCWTAF) is made up of money not paid as taxes by people who have not paid part or all of our federal income and/or telephone excise taxes due to the belief that since we work for peace we ought to refuse to pay for war. The Alternative Fund serves in the following purposes:
- A Holding Account for Unpaid Taxes: The money may be recovered from the Fund at any time by the war tax refuser, or if she/he experiences a wage, fund, or property seizure by the Internal Revenue Service.
- Distribution of Interest on the SCWTAF: Depositors make a positive statement that we favor funding human needs while we refuse to fund warfare and destruction, by donating the interest generated by the Fund. SCWTAF is held in a bank in a low-income area; the interest the Fund “earns” is granted to organizations and programs serving peace, justice, and human needs. Grantees are selected by Fund depositors.
- Confirmation of Sincerity: Many Fund members inform the public and/or the IRS that they are willing to pay their refused tax money to peaceful social purposes, but not for war or preparation for war. For them, depositing the “war tax” in the Alternative Fund demonstrates that they are motivated by a conscientious opposition to war, and that they are engaged in war tax resistance, not tax avoidance.
April 14th, 2009
2009 War Tax Boycott
The costs of war keep adding up, in dollars and in lives.
For over six years peace activists have voted, lobbied, marched, and taken direct action to first prevent and then end the illegal war and occupation in Iraq. Courageous soldiers have refused to fight the war. In Iraq and around the world peace-loving people have called for an end to the violence. But the Bush administration and Congress continue to authorize over $8 billion a month for the war on terror while the U.S. economy is in a tailspin and budget cuts are hitting services across the country. Politicians cannot be trusted with our money.
The War Tax Boycott campaign unites taxpayers who oppose this war in a powerful act of nonviolent civil disobedience — saying NO! to war with our money. Thousands of individuals in the U.S. take this stand despite the risks. Uniting our voices and actions through the War Tax Boycott strengthens our demand that Congress cut off the funds for this war and redirect resources to the pressing needs of people.
Read More at: http://wartaxboycott.org/
April 1st, 2009
Where Your Income Tax Money Really Goes
Each year War Resisters League analyzes federal funds outlays as presented in detailed tables in "Analytical Perspectives" of the Budget of the United States Government. The analysis is based on federal funds, which do not include trust funds — such as Social Security — that are raised separately from income taxes for specific purposes. What you pay (or don’t pay) by April 15, 2009, goes to the federal funds portion of the budget.
While we do not expect the military percentage to change much, Obama’s 2010 budget presentation should include funding for the bank bailout, takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and the stimulus package. The Bush administration (with little Congressional opposition) refused to budget for the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the wider war on terror, intentionally hiding the full monetary costs of their criminal activities. We must demand that all future administration present a more complete and honest budget than we have seen in recent years.
The largest spending bill in history is going to turn out to be the war in Iraq... I don't understand why... building a road, building a school, helping somebody get health care, that's wasteful spending, but that war in Iraq... is going to cost us over $1 trillion before we're through...
Congressman Barney Frank on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, ABC, February 1, 2009.
April 1st, 2009
