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<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>Rose, Saundra, et al,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>The problems of unfair/unbalanced taxation that
you have exposed are but a tip of the iceberg.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>Here is the problem of granting tax-exemptions
(income, property, sales, etc) to so-called non-profit
organizations:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>Whenever one person, a group of persons, or an
organization is given preferential tax treatment, the rest of us must make up
the difference with our tax payments. Those non-profits specially favored
with no taxes use that money that they do not pay (and the rest of make up
for by paying) to further the goals of their organization. In other words,
those of us taxed are <STRONG><FONT color=#ff0000
size=5>involuntarily</FONT></STRONG> paying for the pursuance of any
non-profit's goals. Further, those of forced to contribute to these
organizations have no way to influence the way such contributions are
used.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>None of us probably favor the goals of all
organizations</FONT> <FONT face=Verdana size=4>granted this special
treatment. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>For example, I resent having to pay for
the Hertiage Foundation pursuance of their goals and I am sure that
there are members of the Heritage Foundation that resent being forced
to pay for the activities of the Brookings Institute. [Use your
imagination to think of all the non-governmental, non-profit organizations
whose activities <STRONG><FONT color=#0000ff size=5>you are being forced to
subsidize and whose activities conflict with your ethical/political/social
outlook and whom you would not choose to support had you the personal
freedom/discretion not to</FONT></STRONG>, for example.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>This is a clear violation of personal freedom to
choose what ideals/activities to support with our own money. It
is also inconsistent with free-enterprise philosophy which directs that any
non-governmental organization depend on their success in the marketplace to
finance their own activities.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>It would be foolish to expect any of our
legislators to support the abolishment of preferential tax treatment of
non-profits at this juncture. This is partially because we as citizens and
they as legislators are basically ignorant of the cost to each taxpayer of these
gifts and the financial and ethical impact on those not so gifted.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff
size=4><STRONG></STRONG></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff size=4><STRONG>A start to curing this
ignorance and a start towards better tax laws with respect to non-profits would
be to pass a set of laws mandating that the various taxing entities be required
to determine and to publish the amount of taxes lost under the various
preferences granted to each non-profit and the general categories of nonprofits
as defined by the tax law. As part of these reports, the financial
impacts on classes of individuals should also be calculated so that we
can understand the financial impact on ourselves as individual taxpayers.
</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff
size=4><STRONG></STRONG></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#0000ff><STRONG><FONT size=4>If, for example,
knowing the amount it cost for each individual to grant tax free status to
religious organizations (especially those whose teachings are in opposition
to our own personal beliefs) may influence the public's and eventually the
legislators' willingness to continue these free rides to non-governmental
organizations and </FONT><FONT color=#ff0000 size=5>to continue
violating our personal freedom which such <FONT size=6>forced</FONT>
subsidies totally abrogate.</FONT></STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>Abolishing tax-free rides for nonprofits would
not necessarily diminish the total amount of money collected now by
these organizations. But by making contributions/support/etc
voluntary and dependent upon the ideals and activities of each organization,
there would probably be some shift driven by the marketplace and considerations
of general worth in the distribution of that money. Monies which
individuals are not being forced to fork over could be re-directed to the
non-governmental organizations of the individual's<FONT color=#ff0000
size=6><STRONG> own</STRONG></FONT> choice.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>In the long run, abolishing tax-free status would
not only restore personal freedom of what to do with the discretionary funds we
choose to disburse, but will force those organizations we are now being forced
to support (without our having any way to influence their activities) to
operate much more openly, intelligently, legally, and effectively.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4></FONT> </DIV><FONT face=Verdana size=4>
<DIV><BR>Wayne A. Fox<BR>1009 Karen Lane<BR>PO Box 9421<BR>Moscow, ID
83843</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>(208) 882-7975<BR><A
href="mailto:waf@moscow.com">waf@moscow.com</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message -----
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A
title=DonaldH675@aol.com href="mailto:DonaldH675@aol.com">DonaldH675@aol.com</A>
</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=vision2020@moscow.com
href="mailto:vision2020@moscow.com">vision2020@moscow.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Saturday, June 03, 2006 6:11 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> [Vision2020] IBTA Decisions</DIV></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT id=role_document face=Georgia color=#000000 size=3>
<DIV>The IBTA has announced their decisions on property tax issues related to
Logos School, New St. Andrews, and the Nuart Theatre aka Community Christian
Ministries. The decisions will be posted (it is hoped) within
the next week (and I urge those interested to take the time to review them) at:
<A
href="http://www2.state.id.us/bta/Appeal%20Lists/appealslist2005.htm">http://www2.state.id.us/bta/Appeal%20Lists/appealslist2005.htm</A>.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The IBTA ruled in favor of all three entities. I am disappointed in
their findings but I am appreciative of the opportunity to express our
concerns and make our arguments in a public venue. I believe
that the IBTA "Conclusions of Law" (on the Logos and NSA issues) opens the door
to innumerable claims from home-schooling families and other alleged
educational institutions for tax exemption on their homes or other
properties. I need hardly remind you who will shoulder the tax burden for
that.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>It is significant that Logos School, NSA, and CCM have
<STRONG><U>never</U></STRONG> provided independently audited financial records
to the Latah County Board of Equalization or to the Idaho Board of Tax Appeals -
nor have those bodies asked for or required such documentation. In the
case of NSA no financial documents have ever been provided - and they fervently
protest (successfully) any suggestion that they do so. Logos School
offered a two year old self-prepared Tax Form 990. Mr. Jim Wilson
(director of CCM) provided a self-reported "budget." (The
financial documentation Mr. Wilson offered included the generalized heading
"Donations." Although the Nuart housed Atlas School - a Christian,
for-profit boys school, Mr. Wilson testified that he had never charged rent
for that use - thus dodging any need for prorated the taxes on the
property. We subsequently learned that instead of rent, Atlas
School administrators provided a monthly "donation" which of course was not
identified in the lump sum accounting provided by Mr. Wilson)</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>I urge readers of V2020 who are receiving their property tax bills this
week to contact the Latah County Commissioners and ask them to require that
all entities who receive property tax exemption in this county provide, for the
public record, a complete financial disclosure which is prepared and
submitted by an independent, external, public accounting firm. It is
unconscionable to me that the privilege of tax exemption is extended on the
basis of self-assertion of non-profit status. And, if your property tax
seems a little higher, don't forget to thank the members and associates of
Wilson, Inc.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Rose Huskey</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT lang=0 face=Georgia size=3 PTSIZE="12" FAMILY="SERIF">Rose
Huskey<BR><BR>"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight
you, then you win." Mahatma Gandhi</FONT></DIV></FONT>
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