9/04/2003

From: alra@governance.net
Subject: Land Trusts  DEMAND  Billion Dollar Handout!

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




Land Trusts  DEMAND  Billion Dollar Handout!


###  ALERT  !!  CRISIS  !!  ALERT !!!  CRISIS !!!  ###


FRIDAY morning, September 5 is  CRUNCH  TIME!!!!!!


YOU  MUST  DELUGE  CONGRESS  WITH  CALLS

The Billionaire "non-profit" Land Trusts will attempt to rip-off the American taxpayer for $948 million - nearly a billion dollars - on Friday morning in the House of Representatives tax-writing committee, the Ways and Means Committee.

Land Trusts are  ALREADY  tax-exempt "non-profit" entities, and so enjoy huge advantages over the private sector in business transactions.  They don't pay taxes, and contributions to them are tax-deductible.  They are also notorious for buying land at dirt cheap prices from distressed sellers who have been wiped out due to the Endangered Species Act or other regulations -- then reselling the land at a huge profit to government agencies!

NOW  the Land Trusts are demanding a loophole for themselves that will discount 50% off of capital gains taxes for a seller of land - BUT - only if the land is sold to a Land Trust or government agency!  If the land is sold to anyone else, forget it - no tax break.

HERE are the many reasons why this is a rip-off of landowners, churches, private schools, small communities and taxpayers.  PLEASE take these reasons and act on the  ACTION  ITEMS  BELOW!!!!!!!!


VOTE  NO on the Land Trust amendment to HR 7!!!

ONE.  The only ones who will benefit from this special tax break are Land Trusts,  NOT  the seller of the land.  This proposal will severely devalue private property.  It allows Land Trusts and government agencies to cut their offering price for land, because no other entity will be able to compete with a 50% capital gains tax cut.  The landowner loses out with devalued property.  Effectively the only beneficiary is the Land Trust!

TWO.  This Tax Favoritism proposal will discourage private parties from even bidding on land, so many times the only offers for land will be made by the twin buzzards of Land Trusts and government agencies.  Do you think you will get a fair price from them???

THREE.  It will damage the property tax base of communities since more and more land will become tax-exempt.  This increases the tax burden on remaining private land - while the Land Trusts sit back and watch, not paying any taxes themselves.

FOUR.  HR 7, the Faith Based Initiative that the Land Trusts are attempting to amend, is intended to encourage churches, orphanages and private schools to promote social services.  And yet the Land Trusts desire to place themselves at an advantage over churches, orphanages and private schools in this very bill!!!  Social service non-profits are  NOT  eligible for this proposed tax deal - ONLY Land Trust!

FIVE.  It will hand over more land to government agencies, since this Tax Favoritism proposal permits the tax break for sales of land  ONLY  to Land Trusts or government agencies.

SIX.  It will cost, according the House-Senate Joint Taxation Committee, $948 million - nearly a  BILLION  dollars added to America's national debt, just to feed the Land Trusts hunger for more power.

SEVEN.  Land Trusts, since they are "non-profits," ALREADY have huge business advantages over private individuals, since they don't pay taxes and contributions to them are tax deductible.  The Nature Conservancy for example has $3.2 Billion in assets and a $700 Million annual budget - and pays  NO  taxes!  ENOUGH  IS  ENOUGH!!!

EIGHT.  WATER  RIGHTS.  The Land Trusts are demanding that this Tax Favoritism include sales of water rights, damaging the future of communities.


*** ACTION  *** ACTION  ***  ACTION  ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !

VOTE  NO  on the Land Trust Amendment to HR 7 !

### PLEASE  DO  THESE  THREE  THINGS: ###


NUMBER  ONE.

Contact  your House member and  ALL  of the key House Ways and Means Committee members listed below.

-----You can call every Representative at (202) 224-3121.   A TEMPORARY TOLL FREE  NUMBER  is (800) 648-3516.


HERE are key members of the House Ways and Means Committee:

William Thomas  (R-CA)  -- (202) 225-2915  -- FAX (202) 225-8798 – E-mail: bill.Thomas@mail.house.gov

Philip Crane (R-IL) --  (202) 225-3711 – FAX (202) 225-7830 – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/crane

Wally Herger (R-CA) – (202) 225- 3076 – No fax listed – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/herger

Jim McCrery (R-LA) – (202) 225-2777 – FAX (202) 225-8039 – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/mccrery

Dave Camp (R-MI) – (202) 225-3561 – FAX (202) 225-9679 – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/camp

Jim Nussle (R-IA) – (202) 225-2911 – FAX (202) 225-9129 – E-mail: nussleia@mail.house.gov

Sam Johnson (R-TX) – (202) 225-4201 – FAX (202) 225-1485 – E-mail – go to www.samjohnson.house.gov

Jennifer Dunn (R-WA) – (202) 225-7761 – FAX (202) 225-8673 – E-mail: dunnwa08@mail.house.gov

Mac Collins (R-GA) – (202) 225-5901 – FAX (202) 225-2515 – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/maccollins

J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ)  -- (202) 225-2190 – FAX (202) 225-3263 – E-mail: jdhayworth@mail.house.gov

Kenny Hulshof (R-MO) – (202) 225-2956 – FAX (202) 225-5712 – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/hulshof

Scott McInnis (R-CO)  -- (202) 225-4761 – FAX (202) 225-0622 – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/mcinnis

Ron Lewis (R-KY) – (202) 225-3501 – FAX (202) 225-2019 – E-mail: ron.lewis@mail.house.gov

Kevin Brady (R-TX)  -- (202) 225-4901 – FAX (202) 225-5524 – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/brady

Paul Ryan (R-WI)  -- (202) 225-3031 – FAX (202) 225-3393 – E-mail – go to www.house.gov/ryan

Eric Cantor (R-VA) – (202) 225-2815 – FAX (202) 225-0011 – E-mail – go to www.cantor.house.gov


NUMBER  TWO.

Contact Congressmen Roy Blunt and Richard Pombo, who are leading the fight against the Land Trust Tax Favoritism and for PRIVATE  PROPERTY  RIGHTS.  THANK  THEM.  Here are their key staffers:

For Rep. Roy Blunt, please contact:
April Ponnuru - april.ponnuru@mail.house.gov

Rep. Richard Pombo, please contact:
Laura Hylden - laura.hylden@mail.house.gov

NUMBER  THREE.

INCREDIBLY, the Washington, DC offices of the American Farm Bureau Federation and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association have meekly lined up in the shadow of the Land Trust lobbyists in support of this massive handout - this sellout of private property, water rights, and tax funds.  This cave-in has  NOT  been approved by state affiliates of either organization!

IF  you are a member of the Farm Bureau or the Cattlemen's Association, then contact your state chapter and the lobbyists below and ask them what the heck is going on!!!  Was this massive handout of land and water rights ever voted on by the membership???

Has your state organization approved this, do they even know about it???

HERE are the Farm Bureau lobbyists who caved in:
Patricia Wolff - patw@fb.com
Richard Newpher - richardn@fb.com
Phone 202-484-3600
Fax   202-484-3604

HERE are the Cattlemen's lobbyists who caved in:
Jeff Eisenberg - jeisenberg@beef.org
Myra Hyde - mhyde@beef.org
Phone 202-347-0228
Fax  202-638-0607

TELL  THEM  -  NO  SELLOUTS!!!  The multibillion dollar Land Trusts have ENOUGH  advantages already!!!  Enough is enough!


THIS  IS  AN  ALL  OUT  EFFORT.   PLEASE  FORWARD  THIS  MESSAGE  AS WIDELY  AS  POSSIBLE.



--
To unsubscribe  from this mailing list; please visit
http://governance.net and enter your email address.