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
Posts filed under 'Uncategorized'
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
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
