Posted on 04/15/2002 12:23:00 AM PDT by kattracks
BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Tax day is here, and Susan Quinlan hasn't filed her form 1040 yet. She doesn't plan to.
As an anti-war activist, she objects to paying taxes that fund the nation's defense budget.
Most of the 10,000 or so conscientious tax resisters nationwide send letters to the Internal Revenue Service each year explaining that they are withholding their cash and putting the money into an interest-earning fund. Then they donate the interest to what they deem life-affirming, peaceful causes.
"We're upset that our tax money is funding militarism," said Larry Harper, a tax resister from Sebastopol.
"This is not tax evasion," said Bill Ramsey of St. Louis, a spokesman for the National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee. "This is tax refusal and redirection. It's a public act and an act of conscience."
The practice isn't without risk — the IRS considers resisters to be tax cheats. Mr. Harper said the IRS took $1,200 from his bank account the first time he resisted in 1982 but has left him alone ever since.
Critics argue that tax resisters could take advantage of charity tax credits, already part of the tax system. They also say resisters are selfish because they benefit from government services funded by citizens who do pay taxes.
"The vast majority of salaried employees file and pay voluntarily," IRS spokesman Anthony Burke said. "Most Americans, I think, are law abiding and honest citizens."
Just days before today's tax-filing deadline, Miss Quinlan and Mr. Harper led a workshop in Berkeley and dispensed brochures, information and support to 15 tax-resister recruits.
The movement started after the Vietnam War and rose again during the Persian Gulf war. Miss Quinlan said interest has been piqued this year by the war in Afghanistan.
"I wondered after September 11 if we'd be deluged with people," Miss Quinlan said. "We weren't initially. But we are seeing more now."
Instead of putting a check in the mail today, Miss Quinlan and some of her fellow Northern California resisters will have a party and make contributions to charities from $10,000 earned as interest on their diverted tax endowment, which they call the People's Life Fund.
Mr. Ramsey and 50 resisters in St. Louis have purchased $10,000 in medical equipment for clinics in Afghanistan. Outside the IRS office in St. Louis today, they will present the equipment to nurses who will take the supplies overseas.
Nearly 29 alternative funds across the country plan to use $100,000 in interest this year to make grants to shelters for battered women, homeless programs and AIDS prevention.
Hope this starts a movement. Where will the left wing get their support checks then?
Nothing. They pay out millions in illegal reparations without a hitch. Why hunt down liberals when they still get honest Americans to foot the bill?
A certain church in Indiana also comes to mind.
Time to stop federal funding for these programs. They're already getting paid.
How come our side doesn't have something like this to act on our conscientious objection to paying taxes for the support of illegal immigrants, deadbeat, "retired" politicians and the Clinton's secret service deal that pays the mortgage on their NY home? Sheeeeeet!
And the numbers assigned were strictly NOT to be used for identification purposes. There were a few Senators which held out for that particular stipulation.
I suppose some of them were even thinking at the time, "mark of the beast", or generally opposed to giving too much power to Federal (or State) Goverment over individuals. But we are slowly losing that battle, it seems... Just recently (within the last 2-3 yrs) the State of California recieved "correction" from the courts for their requirment that S.S. numbers be given in order to recieve a driver's license. Now, one need not give their #. That "judgement" sets good precedent, I think. But the State of CA still requires Social Security #'s on other licenses. Must one "take them to court" for each and every breach of Federal Social Security guidelines? It looks like that is the case.
Berkeley... why am I not surprised?!
Maybe they just haven't heard about these folks yet. You can donate any reward money you get to your own favorite charity.
WTF? I'm gonna have to try this.
Could be the $1200 was all he had and he has no more.
If any of these protesters earns a salary or wages the taxes have already been deducted, and all they are doing is failing to have their papers in order. Or are they all independent business poeple? I think not.
I suspect this is more a case of "indolence for the purpose of avoiding taxation", that is no income ==> no income tax (but you are still required to file). I remember several year back some religious pacifists forming a subsistence farming and barter community this way. They didn't mind selling a bit of produce and paying local tax on their real estate. Wrong-headed but honorable.
These, on the other hand, I believe to be trust fund hippies.
How can they donate to trust funds then? Welfare checks a little too big?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.