Doing your taxes? Don't forget the $3 checkoff!
Kari Chisholm
This year, when you do your 2009 taxes, there's another opportunity to do something small to help combat the power of big money in our politics.
We political junkies call it the "Check for Democracy" or the "Klonoski check-off" (in honor of UO prof and former DPO chair Jim Klonoski) - but the state calls it the Political Party $3 Checkoff.
Thanks to 2009's HB 2004, here's how it works:
When you're filling out your taxes using the two-page Form 40 (pdf), you can donate $3 to the political party of your choice through your taxes.
To do it, just fill in the code for the political party of your choice (and/or your spouse or domestic partner) - and then write in $3 (or $6) as a donation.
To donate to the Democrats, write in the number 501. Here's the full list:
500 Constitution Party of Oregon
501 Democratic Party of Oregon
502 Independent Party of Oregon
503 Libertarian Party of Oregon
504 Oregon Republican Party
505 Pacific Green Party of Oregon
506 Progressive Party
507 Working Families Party of Oregon
Even if you donate regularly to a political party - and to candidates of your choice - participate in the $3 checkoff, and help create momentum for voluntary grassroots campaign finance reforms. (And hey! Oregon tax form designers! How about including it in the Form 40S next year so everyone can participate?)
Learn more at CheckForDemocracy.com - or through the Facebook page.
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Feb 8, '10
Don't the school kids need that money more that the parties do?
Feb 8, '10
mp - you will be donating $3.00 from your refund. No tax dollars are used.
Feb 8, '10
Have you seen the 40S? If you have suggestions about what ought to come off the form to make room for this, please post same. I was told the plan was to include this and then at the last minute space had to be used to ask whether a direct deposit refund was going to a foreign account. So is it better to crowd more info on and make it more difficult to fill out or should they just make it a 2 page form?
Feb 8, '10
well duh. Color me embarrassed.
9:00 p.m.
Feb 8, '10
RedundantSi, it might be an interesting challenge for any graphic designers lurking here to ponder whether they can make the Form 40 and Form 40S more usable - and put the pro-democracy line items (the $3 checkoff and the political contributions tax credit) back on the 40S.
Feb 8, '10
I was told the plan was to include this and then at the last minute space had to be used to ask whether a direct deposit refund was going to a foreign account.
Can you pay your taxes from a foreign account?
Feb 8, '10
Well here is a good point- take $3 from your refund and give it to a charity doing great work in your community- and it can be deducted in the following year since it's a charitable donation- there are hundreds of great charities, it's just an option- you don't have to give to a political party- they are just so powerful they worked they way into your tax return- charities just don't have that kind of leverage
Feb 9, '10
Have to agree with ew119 with this one. You can take your $3 and give it to something else that you really believe in. Although writing it off automatically when you do your taxes is convenient, if you really don't believe in any of the political parties then what's the use.
Feb 9, '10
Why the hell don't we have a Socialist party in Oregon? I would donate to that in a flash.
Feb 10, '10
I didn't know about this $3 thing. It is a good idea in my opinion to help to the party you are supporting. It is just like supporting a sports team, and a party may change the country to a place that you really love to see.
Nick Cord
Feb 10, '10
Posted by: Nick Cord | Feb 10, 2010 3:01:09 AM
I didn't know about this $3 thing. It is a good idea in my opinion to help to the party you are supporting. It is just like supporting a sports team, and a party may change the country to a place that you really love to see.
Nick Cord
That's America in a nutshell. "Don't support parties, but, with that $3, don't you need an extension cord for your headphones"? Classic. Someday...cometh the hour, cometh Madame Lafarge. And then, Nick, you're going to lose 10 pounds of ugly fat!
Feb 10, '10
Posted by: Tim Bovee | Feb 9, 2010 6:37:38 PM
Why the hell don't we have a Socialist party in Oregon? I would donate to that in a flash.
Really. And it should have major public visibility, fighting tooth and nail with Dems. That'll give the reprehensible right something to put in their pipes and smoke.
Feb 10, '10
Good question about why no Socialist party in Oregon. We certainly need one. Anybody interested in forming one? Or in drafting an essay on just how much we need to form one?
Feb 11, '10
Sorry, my money goes to the deserving.
Feb 12, '10