From: alra@governance.net Subject: !!!CRISIS ALERT!!! VOTE on Enviro Tax Scam! Land Rights Network American Land Rights Association PO Box 400 – Battle Ground, WA. 98604 Phone: 360-687-3087 – Fax: 360-687-2973 – E-mail: alra@landrights.org Web Address: http://www.landrights.org Legislative Office: 507 Seward Square SE- Washington, DC 20003 Phone: 202-210-2357 – Fax: 202-543-7126 – E-mail: landrightsnet@aol.com !!!CRISIS ALERT!!! VOTE on Enviro Tax Scam! CRISIS *** ALERT *** IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED!!!!!!!!!! ##### The United States Senate will vote THIS Wednesday, April 9, on S. 476, the "Faith Based Initiative." ##### This is supposed to help churches, private schools, orphanages and charities with various funding and tax breaks. ### BUT ### - the powerful, multi-billion dollar Land Trusts have twisted the bill around so that they benefit - at the expense of the faith based institutions the bill was supposed to help! S. 476 includes a provision that allows the Nature Conservancy and other powerful land trusts a special tax break when buying property - at the expense of private schools, churches, orphanages and charities, who are all placed at a comparative disadvantage. The Nature Conservancy has THREE BILLION dollars in assets, and an annual income in 2001 of $732 million dollars - tax free, tax exempt!!! And yet the Land Trusts want more and more special privileges AT YOUR EXPENSE. #### IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED #### PLEASE HELP!!! #### S. 476, "CARE" Act, Sections 106 and 107 - Land Trust Gravy Train S.476, Sections 106 and 107, called the "CARE" Act, began as the President Bush's Faith Based Initiative bill. But here is the special provision the Land Trusts had put in for themselves: It states that on sales of land and water rights, the seller will have his capital gains tax reduced by 25% - ONLY if he sells to an environmental group or a government agency! The usual taxes apply if the land or water rights are sold to a non-environmentalist non-profit, or to a private party. This places at a competitive disadvantage the following: a) All non-profits that are NOT "conservationist" environmental groups, such as churches, orphanages, private schools, and social service agencies. b) All private parties who may want to purchase will also have to bid a higher amount, in order to compete with the tax break accruing to the seller - only if he sells to an environmental group or to a government agency. c) In areas, usually in the western U.S., where the federal government already owns most of the land, this proposal will accelerate turnover of property to the government and resulting loss of tax base for municipalities and economic activity for communities. d) In most cases, the land owner who is selling the land will not even benefit. When other parties are discouraged from bidding, the environmental group can lower their bid by the amount of the tax break. So effectively, the only beneficiary is the Land Trust. SEE ACTION ITEMS BELOW!!! REMOVE Sections 106 and 107 from S. 476, the "Faith Based Initiative" bill. SENATE VOTE on S.476 is Wednesday, April 9. KEEP GOING with calls, faxes and emails all day Wednesday, just in case the vote is put off till Thursday. CALL, FAX and EMAIL - the land you save may be your own! ####### TELL both of your Senators - REMOVE Sections 106 and 107 from S. 476. NO special favors for multi-billion dollar Land Trusts! ####### ****** ACTION ITEMS: ****** VOTE NO - on the "faith based" enviro scam!!!!!!! TELL your two Senators: S.476, Sections 106 and 107 - Multi-BILLION dollar land trusts do not need special TAX FAVORITISM over private schools and churches!!! ### CRISIS ALERT ### WHAT YOU MUST DO NOW: -----1. Call both your Senators. You may call any Senator at the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121. When the switchboard answers, ask for your Senators office. Then ask for the staff person who covers S.476, the Faith Based Initiative bill. -----2. Send a fax objecting to this special secret deal to both your Senators. If you do not have their fax number, call the toll free number above to get it from your Senator. -----3. Tell your local newspaper about this special interest secret attack on private property. -----4. Call your local radio station or talk show. Make as much controversy as possible quickly! -----5. Call at least three (3) friends to get them to call. THE VOTE IS NOW! PLEASE FORWARD AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE. To unsubscribe from this mailing list; please visit http://governance.net and enter your email address. -- To unsubscribe from this mailing list; please visit http://governance.net and enter your email address.