Federal Laws concerning Greeks.

[Tom Earp]

There has been over the past several years Legislation that has been proposed on worked on by a group of Greek Organizatins to get passed.

This concerns the donations by Alumni for the Fraternity at both the National and Local level to be tax deductable for not just educational purpose but for naything such as house improvements or building new houses.

This would be a total boon for Greeks in expansion, renovations and needed items such as fire supression systems.

I have taken this from what has been sent out by Alpha Gamma Delta who has been in the fore front working with a group including LXA in trying to get this passed.

Please read and do what you can!


__________________________________________________ _____________








The Fraternity is seeking your assistance in participating in two efforts which will support the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act (CHIA), legislation seeking support in the United States Congress.
• A national grassroots congressional letter writing campaign
• A congressional “Phone March” on Wednesday, March 21
Passage of this legislation will increase the ability of college fraternities and sororities to improve their student housing by redefining existing tax law to allow tax-deductible charitable contributions made to national or local 501(c)(3) organizations (such as the Alpha Gamma Delta Foundation) to be used at the chapter level for a broad range of purposes, including making safety and infrastructure improvements to our chapter houses. Information about the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act may be found at the Fraternal Caucus website, www.fraternalcaucus.com.
Participating in either of these efforts is simple. To send a letter to your United States Senator or Representative, simply go to http://www.bipac.net/alert.asp?g=fc and follow the prompts.
To participate in the March 21 Phone March, go to the Alpha Gamma Delta website and click on the Greek Legislative Action link on the home page.
Thanks for your support of these efforts. Passage of CHIA would make a real difference in the future of Greek housing and Alpha Gamma Delta. It would open up a range of new possibilities for us to improve the experience we provide to our members. Your participation in the letter-writing campaign and / or the Phone March will increase the broad showing of support for it. There is some urgency to this request, as the Phone March is next Wednesday, March 21, and we want a large number of letters to be received in advance of the Greek visits to Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. on April 17. Alpha Gamma Delta will be represented during these visits by four members, two alumnae and two collegians. Your letters will make these visits to Capitol Hill more effective. We ask you to submit your letters by March 31.


__________________________________________________ ______________-

Your help is needed now!

In ZAX,

[boz130]

If you're interested in learning more about these efforts (the Collegeiate Housing and Infrastructure Act-H.R. 643/S.638), send me a PM.

The Assn. of Fraternity Advisors (AFA) has asked their membership to send personalized notes to members of Congress...their e-mail has a link that synchs up w/your particular ZIP Code so that your correspondence goes directly to your senators & congressional leaders.

In ZAX,
BF

[justaflaneur]

There is an organization in Washington called The Fraternity and Soroity Political Action Committee (GreekPAC) (http://www.fraternalcaucus.org/pac). It was formed to advocate in behalf of matters of interest to the Fraternity and Sorority community, including the Infrastructure Act. It is headed by Kevin O'Neill, who is a Lambda Chi, former Director of Chapter Services, and now an attorney with Patton Boggs in DC. As another evidence of our leadership in the Greek world, Lambda Chi Alpha has the largest number of significant donors to this PAC. To keep the Greek efforts unified, if you have interest in these matters you may want to do so through financial participation in this organization.

Lynn Chipperfield

[HONKY660]

I work for Congressman Silverstre Reyes's distric office in El Paso. I can pass word to him, next time he's back in the office.

[Tom Earp]

Lynn, thank you for the input.

The links that I am Lynn put on the post are easy to follow as I did as soon as I got it. It automatically brings up the Represenatives from each of your areas.

Just think of the money each of you have donated to help and aid your Fraternity and Zeta. This while was from the love and goodness, it was not tax deductable.

If and I say if, this could be passed, then it would become tax deductable!

How important is this to each and everyone of us? Extremely important for LXA, our Zetas and all Greek members.

Once again, I implore you to take just a little time and check these links and post on them for you local Representatives.

Please pass this along via your Zeta email listings to all of the Brothers.

Then ask them to also pass this along to their friends.

We can make a difference!

[Cube TX]

Oh great... Honky is working for Reyes? I'm voting for the other guy!

Hey Honky, let me know if you want tickets to the next KLAQ premiere. I'm pretty sure you'll be more quiet than the active chapter was when they came to Wicker Man and brought their muffin girlfriends. Granted, it was a lousy flick.

[Tom Earp]

If anyone has sent emails, give us your name and if you passed this along!

I have sent twice as this is very imprtant to each and every Brother of LXA but the Brothers and Sisters of all Greek Social Organizations.

Take the time and please do it!

In ZAX,

[Tom Earp]

Just to let all know, I have received a letter from one of the three that I emailed concerning this HR Bill 643.

Whether it is Political BS, I cannnot say, but at least a response.

I will make a copy of it and send off to IHQ.

He says He agrees and will work to get it passed.

So, please check the link and send your backing of it.

Please, this is vitally important to all of us as Greeks.

[dever860]

Tom,

I have emailed my entire chapter in hopes they will take the 5 minutes to fill this out, and requested they forward it to any of their Greek friends.

Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

In ZAX,
John Dever
GT1111

[Tom Earp]

Your very welcome and I hope more Brothers on GC do the same!

I am sending a copy of the letter that I received from 1 of 3 that I emailed about this and he gives his backing.

I have talked with the just past President of AGD who was in the fore front of this negotiation along with LXA who is instrumental in pushing these bills to fruitation.

It will benefit not only LXA Alumni and Greeks in toto but those of all GLOs.

It is important for all of us to contact your State Senators and Represenatives to build a tidal wave of togetherness and show solidarity!

[Tom Earp]

Since I have more time on my hands now, I email one of the Kansas Senators who was a sposor of S Bill 638.

This is my email:


Dear Senator Roberts,
I have emailed twice concerning the Bill S 638 concerning tax breaks for donations by Alumni of Greek Social Organizations.

This is an important Bill that needs to be passed for many reason and not just in Kansas alone.

As you and many Kansans can see, the state of revenue for the many State supported Colleges is lacking.

The priorities are placed else where as can be imagined.

With the passing of this Bill, it will give the thousands of Alumni the chance to help not only build houses that will keep students in house because of the lack of school dormitories, but will also allow the donations go towards fire suppression systems that many college towns are now starting to mandate.

While this may seem a small thing compared to what is going on in the world, it is important to of who have graduated and those who may go on to school and graduate also.

There are many people who are from Greek related orgizations who have been very important in the history of Kansas and the United States.

I ask for your pressure on this Bill and hope you will email me and let me know what you are doing to support it.

Respectfully Yours,

Thomas G. Earp
Lambda Chi Alpha
Lambda Chi Chapter # 1
Pittsburg State University.

I also received a letter from the other Kansas Senator and one from
my House Represenative who said they was backing it.

I feel very strongly about this as it will benefit not only Lambda Chi Alpha, but all Greeks.

Please take the time and keep pressure on them
In ZAX,

[dever860]

Can someone explain exactly how a 501(c)(3) status works? I know LCA HQ has a 501c3 tax exemption. Can alumni associations also get this? I think I am just confused on the whole matter on what and what you cannot do with a tax exemption as a non profit organization. Why can't our alumni association gain this status, and accept donations to say... build a new house?

[boz130]

If I'm understanding this program correctly, our individual AAs/HCs can't set up a 501(c)(3). However, we can benefit if we align w/the development dept. of our individual universities/colleges.

For example, donors send money to Northwestern's Alumni Assn. & specify that it's to go specifically toward Building Fund XXXX. The money is a write-off for the donor, and the university funnels it directly to the building fund's recipient...in this case, Alpha-Iota.

I'm pretty sure it's the same scenario being done @ other institutions. Alpha-Tau/Iowa State has a comparable arrangement, and we're looking into it @ Beta-Omicron/Illinois State. Seems like a win-win for all involved.

In ZAX,
BF

[dever860]

Originally Posted by boz130

If I'm understanding this program correctly, our individual AAs/HCs can't set up a 501(c)(3). However, we can benefit if we align w/the development dept. of our individual universities/colleges.

For example, donors send money to Northwestern's Alumni Assn. & specify that it's to go specifically toward Building Fund XXXX. The money is a write-off for the donor, and the university funnels it directly to the building fund's recipient...in this case, Alpha-Iota.

I'm pretty sure it's the same scenario being done @ other institutions. Alpha-Tau/Iowa State has a comparable arrangement, and we're looking into it @ Beta-Omicron/Illinois State. Seems like a win-win for all involved.

In ZAX,
BF

I could be wrong, but I swear I was on a Alumni Association website, doing research for making our own, and one claimed to have a 501 exempt status. So I was kind of confused. I should have wrote down the page.

I would be concerned with how the college transfer ownership of the money. Do they setup a private account through the university that the groups can withdrawal money? I could see the college withholding money for some reason if they were trying to hamstring you to do something. Then again I have no idea how the program works. OSU likes doing that kinda stuff.

[john1082]

Originally Posted by dever860

Can someone explain exactly how a 501(c)(3) status works? I know LCA HQ has a 501c3 tax exemption. Can alumni associations also get this? I think I am just confused on the whole matter on what and what you cannot do with a tax exemption as a non profit organization. Why can't our alumni association gain this status, and accept donations to say... build a new house?

Typically a 501(c)(3) corporation is restricted from spending dollars on brick and mortar. Educational expenses are OK, that is more or less what a 501(c)(3) is for; however, brick and mortar, like for a house, is generally not an acceptable use for those tax treated dollars.

Dollars given to the Lambda Chi Alpha Educational Foundation fall under the umbrella of 501(c)(3) as educational dollars. A check to Lambda Chi Alpha, Inc. is, I would presume, not accorded the same tax treatment.