On Mon, 2007-07-23 at 23:00 -0400, Mark R Dobyns Jones wrote: > On 7/23/07, Andrew Sullivan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > On Tue, Jul 24, 2007 at 01:46:29AM +0800, Tim Post wrote: > > > As I understand it, such direct lobbying would also violate our tax > > status; which is the other reason not to raise this issue here. > >
I feel that I must clarify some words that did not appear in my previous and original post. I did not suggest an action. I did not suggest lobbying. I did not suggest SPI become involved. I am merely looking for information and asking if others share my concern. If I am not permitted to do that openly on a list of like minded people, then I can only submit that the list is broken and of little use at present. Kindly, --Tim > > Mr. Sullivan's reply is inaccurate on the lobbying and gag-rule topics. > > United States tax exempt organizations are permitted to lobby > legislatures, within limits. This is how it is possible for United > States universities, and other tax exempt organizations to lobby for > particular laws. There is a prohibition against tax-exempt groups > campaigning for a candidate for office. A lot different. > > In general, tax exempt organizations are permitted to talk about the > topic of lobbying for, or potentially lobbying for something, or > analyzing the process of lobbying, without worry, since talk costs > nothing, without jepardizing its tax status. If the typical organization > gets serious about lobbying efforts, generally it elects to use an > expenditures-reporting test, so that it may know what the measure and > threshold is, and plan for staying below the relevant threshold. > > For "non-electing" organizations the determination on lobbying is based > upon a review of all activities, so that "no substantial portion" of > the organization's activities may be lobbying. > > See the U.S. Internal Revenue web site for brief background: > > - Expenditures test election: > http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=163394,00.html > - The election form: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f5768.pdf > > - The "substantial part test, for non-electing organizations: > http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=163393,00.html > > ~Mark Jones > _______________________________________________ > Spi-general mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.spi-inc.org/listinfo/spi-general _______________________________________________ Spi-general mailing list [email protected] http://lists.spi-inc.org/listinfo/spi-general
