Whew! I now know where I am going to send my tax money instead of to Uncle Sam from now on. This is not a get-out-of-jail-free scheme, and it is not an evade-your-societal-responsibility scheme: Peace Tax Escrow Fund Agreement In establishing a Peace Tax Escrow Fund (the Fund), Purchase Quarterly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends (the Meeting) agrees to hold money deposited in the Fund in trust under the following conditions: 1. Any persons withholding payment of taxes to the government because of their conscientious opposition to war may deposit money withheld in the Peace Tax Escrow Fund. 2. The money so deposited in the Fund will be placed in a separate interest-bearing account at a local bank or other appropriate depository in the name of the Meeting and may be withdrawn on the signature of the Treasurer of the Fund, or the Clerk or Treasurer of the Meeting, or a member of the Meeting designated by the Meeting as an authorized signatory. 3. The Meeting, in its sole discretion may use the income from deposits to the Fund or any gifts to the Fund for life-affirming activities which may remove the occasion for war. 4. The Meeting shall not use the income from the deposits or any gifts to the Fund for the operating budget of the Meeting. 5. The depositor precludes personal profit or enrichment from money deposited in the Fund by making an irrevocable gift to the Meeting of any interest earned on the funds so deposited. 6. If the government lawfully demands, such as by an enforceable notice of levy, that the Meeting surrender money deposited by an individual, the Meeting may at its discretion, do so under protest and may include a statement of the individuals conscientious position or a statement by the Meeting at its discretion. 7. No person associated with the Fund or the Meeting is authorized to respond to any inquiry of the government concerning the deposits of any individual depositor without first notifying and obtain- ing the consent of that individual. 8. No individual person associated with the Fund or the Meeting is authorized to respond to any levy or summons relating to any depositor. The response to be made to any levy or summons shall be determined at a Meeting for Business of the Meeting, at least ten days notice of which shall be given to all depositors. All correspondence with the government concerning the Fund shall be signed in the name of the Meeting. 9. If the government enacts into law the proposed US Peace Tax Fund Bill, or otherwise establishes an administrative procedure that applies to tax liability the fundamental right of conscience, the Meeting with the approval of the depositor, may transfer the money the depositor deposited in es- crow in the Fund to the US Peace Tax Fund or to the administrative procedure to the extent permitted by law and conscience. 10. If the government seizes money or assets from a depositor, claiming non-payment of taxes, then, at the request of the depositor or his or her heirs or assignees, the Fund may replace the seized money up to the amount he or she has deposited in escrow or the amount seized, whichever is less. Determination of the appropriate response to such a request shall be, in each case, at the discretion of the Meeting. 11. Any money which remains on deposit beyond the statute of limitations without: a) being, levied upon or sued for by the government, or b) being returned to the depositor to replace other funds levied by the government shall become a gift of the depositor to the Meeting. The depositor shall be notified of the completion of the gift at that time by the Meeting. 12. The terms of this trust may be altered or revoked by action taken at two successive Meetings for Business of the Meeting, the first of which shall be at least sixty days after notice by mail is sent to each person for whom a deposit is then held. Upon revocation any deposits remaining in the fund will be deposited into a similar escrow fund,if possible, or otherwise disposed of to serve the same purpose, in consultation with the depositors.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Dec 2014 01:19:52 +0000
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