Resource Center for Nonviolence Surrenders I.R.S. Levy of Employee Salary

Scott Kennedy, formerly a mayor and city councilman in Santa Cruz, California, and now working for the Resource Center for Nonviolence, is having his wages there seized by the IRS.

Complying with the levy, the Resource Center has paid a total of $1,548.32 including unpaid federal income taxes, interest and penalties demanded by the IRS for tax year 2005.

Speaking on behalf of the Resource Center’s Steering Committee, Peter Klotz-Chamberlin commented, “The Resource Center for Nonviolence supports the choice of our employee Scott Kennedy to refuse paying for war waged by the United States government. The Center supports acts of conscience seeking peace and justice by Scott Kennedy and all Americans. Our responsibility to the ongoing work of the Resource Center, however, leads us to reluctantly comply with the IRS levy on Scott’s salary.”

Kennedy said, “The timing is auspicious during the last two weeks before Federal income taxes are due. The House of Representatives has just recommended another $100 billion for our brutal, immoral, and unwinnable war in Iraq. I won’t in good conscience voluntarily pay for such madness, because of its cost in US lives and squandered resources and because of the devastation and loss of life it is causing in Iraq.”

The Morning Sun of central Michigan profiles tax resister Mary “Irv” Irvine:

“I decided to live a life of voluntary simplicity,” Irv said. “I hopefully find enough jobs, several jobs sometimes part-time, to at least put myself in the range of the working poor, so I’m not taking from the system and making my own way as best I can, and yet I get most of my taxes they take out back. This is how I’ve made my livelihood over the last 10 to 15 years intentionally.”

“I know I’m not totally complying with war tax (resistance) because… there are several ways the government pays for their bombing people and doing strange things in other lands.”

The “Raging Grannies” got off lightly after being convicted for occupying a military recruiting office in Greenfield, Massachusetts. After being let off with a fine, they were asked by a reporter what they planned to do.

“It’s hard to know what to do next,” said [Ann] Wilson, whose four grandchildren called Tuesday morning to say they are proud of her. “There’s always tax resistance.”

War tax resister Peg McIntyre writes of her resistance for The St. Augustine [Florida] Record:

I endorse Henry David Thoreau’s philosophy of civil disobedience: “If a thousand people were not to pay their tax-bills this year, that would not be as violent and bloody a measure, as it would be to pay them and enable the state to commit violence and shed innocent blood.”

Thanks to John Fabiani for plugging The Picket Line over in LiveJournal’s warprotest community.