National Taxpayers Union

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National Taxpayers Union (NTU) is closely related to their "501(c)(3)" (i.e. non-profit) foundation, the National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF). According to the 990 forms of NTUF, the NTU and NTUF share staff, facilities, web site and board members. NTUF is an "associate" member of the State Policy Network, a web of right-wing “think tanks” in every state across the country.[1]

Duane Parde, former Executive Director of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), is the former president of both the NTU and the NTUF. [2] NTU is also a member of ALEC.

The NTU received from Philip Morris in 1998 a donation of $25,000 ([1], WRO refers to Philip Morris's Washington Relations Office) and one year later $10,000. [2] The Tobacco Institute budgeted for 1999 also a donation to NTU of $10,000. [3]

Koch Wiki

Charles Koch is the right-wing billionaire owner of Koch Industries. As one of the richest people in the world, he is a key funder of the right-wing infrastructure, including the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) and the State Policy Network (SPN). In SourceWatch, key articles on Charles Koch and his late brother David include: Koch Brothers, Americans for Prosperity, Stand Together Chamber of Commerce, Stand Together, Koch Family Foundations, Koch Universities, and I360.

Ties to the Koch Brothers

Between 1998 and 2014 National Taxpayers Union and NTUF received a total of $94,963 in grants from the Koch Family Foundations.[3] The funding was given in five separate grants:

NTUF received $12,600 from DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund in 2010, "two funds that have been closely tied to the Kochs but which obscure the percentage of their grants coming from Koch money. (See here for a complete list of DonorsTrust and Donors Capital Fund grant recipients.)

Ties to the American Legislative Exchange Council

Former NTU President Duane Parde was the Executive Director of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), and NTU is an ALEC member.

About ALEC
ALEC is a corporate bill mill. It is not just a lobby or a front group; it is much more powerful than that. Through ALEC, corporations hand state legislators their wishlists to benefit their bottom line. Corporations fund almost all of ALEC's operations. They pay for a seat on ALEC task forces where corporate lobbyists and special interest reps vote with elected officials to approve “model” bills. Learn more at the Center for Media and Democracy's ALECexposed.org, and check out breaking news on our ExposedbyCMD.org site.

In a July 2011 interview with National Public Radio's Fresh Air, host Terry Gross asked ALEC National Chair Louisiana Rep. Noble Ellington: "But the corporations on who are represented have a lot of input in writing the legislation, in drafting it."

Ellington replied, in part: "It's not just corporations. I'm there, and members of ALEC is the Americans for Tax Reform, the National Taxpayers Union, National Federation of Independent Businesses - those are people that we represent as well and those are people who are members." [4]

In 1999, David M. Stanley was the chairman of NTU as well as Iowans for Tax Relief (ITR).[5] He has also been chairman of the Tax Education Support Foundation, a group affiliated with both NTU and ITR.[6] In 1996, the Tax Education Support Foundation loaned ALEC $100,000 "to support ALEC's exempt purpose."[7]

Additional tobacco industry information

A 1991 Philip Morris Communications presentation indicates the company's intent to utilize its coporate Contributions Program to develop NTU as a "strategic vehicle" to advance PM's corporate obejctives:

PMI CONTRIBUTIONS PROGRAM

OBJECTIVE: CREATE STRATEGIC VEHICLES PLAN: ISSUES MANAGEMENT THROUGH COALITION BUILDING --IAA EDUCATION PROGRAM --CITIZENS DEMOCRACY CORPS --NATIONAL TAXPAYERS' UNION OBJECTIVE: ENHANCE REGIONAL AND MARKET PLAN: --VISIBILITY IN LOCAL COMMUNITIES --EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES TO ADVANCE PMI OBJECTIVES

(Taken from an April 1991 Philip Morris presentation titled "Function: Communications")

In 1992 Philip Morris funneled $50,000 to the NTU through the International Taxpayers Association. A memo about the donation written by Matthew Winokur, Director of Worldwide Tobacco Regulatory Issues for PM Europe, stated:

[This] represents the first opportunity PMI has had to support grass-roots opposition to excise taxes in key markets. Funds will be channeled through the National Taxpayers Union to sponsor a global tax meeting in Australia in November 1992 and an international tax congress planned for Prague in May of 1993. -- PMI 1992 Corporate Contributions Budget

A 1995 Philip Morris document that appears to be about fighting a proposed increase in a state excise tax (SET) on cigarettes, lists "501c(3) Organizations identified for outreach, who receive contributions." NTU appears on the list funded at $50,000. -- SET SWOT Analysis 950000

In 1998 NTU got $25,000 from PM divided into two discrete contributions from 2 different PM departments: $12,500 from Corporate Government Affairs and $12,500 Worldwide Regulatory Office. National Taxpayers Union of Ohio again also got a contribution, of $5,000 --1998 Public Policy Contributions

In 1999, PM gave $10,000 to NTU and $5,000 to the NTU of Ohio. (Philip Morris' 1999 Public Policy Contributions Budget.)

A May/June issue of Mother Jones carried an article titled "The Nicotine Network" that discussed the significant funding the NTU receives from Philip Morris.[4]

Organization Affiliates

As of June 2014:[8]

Personnel

Board of Directors

As of October 2016:[9]

  • The Honorable J. Kenneth Blackwell
  • Ms. Stacey Chamberlin, DCI Group Public Affairs
  • Mr. Jon Coupal, Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association
  • Mr. Steve Forbes, Forbes, Inc.
  • Mr. Chuck Fuller, The Results Company
  • Mr. K. R. Kamon
  • Mr. David Keating
  • Mr. Joseph G. Lehman, Mackinac Center for Public Policy
  • Mr. Richard R. Phillips, Iowans for Tax Relief
  • Dr. Donald P. Racheter, Public Interest Institute
  • Mr. Peter J. Sepp, National Taxpayers Union
  • Mr. Robert Solt, Iowans for Tax Relief
  • In Memoriam: The Hon. David M. Stanley, Iowans for Tax Relief, 1928-2015
  • Mr. John S. Thomas, E.A. Morris Charitable Foundation
  • Mr. John Tillman, Illinois Policy Institute
  • Dr. Richard Vedder, Ohio University
  • Ms. Shari Williams, Shari Williams Consulting

Former Board of Directors
As of June 2014:[10]

Staff

As of October 2016:[11]

  • Pete Sepp, President
  • Brandon Arnold, Eexecutive Vice President
  • Rob Shrum, Vice President of External Affairs
  • Demian Brady, Director of Research
  • Jenn Fedor, Director of Communications
  • Patrick Gallivan, Office Manager
  • Timothy Howland, Creative Content Manager
  • Genevieve McCarthy, Development Associate
  • Clark Packard, Counsel and Government Affairs Manager
  • Nan Swift, Federal Affairs Manager
  • Dr. John E. Berthoud is former president of both the NTU and the NTUF.

As of June 2014:[12]

Core Financials

2014[13]

  • Total Revenue: $1,506,165
  • Total Expenses: $1,062,380
  • Net Assets: $1,493,004

2013[14]

  • Total Revenue: $1,155,250
  • Total Expenses: $1,362,262
  • Net Assets: $1,113,216

2012[15]

  • Total Revenue: $1,384,652
  • Total Expenses: $1,522,963
  • Net Assets: $1,034,123

National Taxpayers Union Foundation

2014[16]

  • Total Revenue: $521,884
  • Total Expenses: $503,630
  • Net Assets: $1,061,668

2013[17]

  • Total Revenue: $383,905
  • Total Expenses: $442,332
  • Net Assets: $998,615

2012[18]

  • Total Revenue: $1,429,878
  • Total Expenses: $458,530
  • Net Assets: $1,038,249

IRS Form 990s

National Taxpayers Union Foundation

Additional information

Major funder of the Legislation Education Action Drive

Contact Information

Employer Identification Number (EIN): 52-1009116

National Taxpayers Union
25 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Suite 140
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 703.299.8667
Phone: 703.683.5700
Fax: 703.683.5722

Web site: http://www.ntu.org
Email: ntu@ntu.org
Email: pgallivan@ntu.org
Twitter: @NTU Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NationalTaxpayersUnion/

National Taxpayers Union Foundation
Employer Identification Number (EIN): 52-1122683

Sourcewatch resources

External links

References

  1. State Policy Network, Directory, State Policy Network, accessed October 6, 2016.
  2. National Taxpayers Union, Duane Parde bio, organizational website, accessed August 20, 2011.
  3. Greenpeace, National Taxpayers Union, organizational website, accessed June 20, 2014.
  4. National Public Radio, National Chairman Of ALEC Responds To Report, Fresh Air, July 21, 2011.
  5. Joseph A. D'Agostino, Conservative spotlight: David M.Stanley, Human Events Publishing, Inc., January 29, 1999, provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company, accessed August 24, 2011.
  6. Tax Education Support Foundation, 2007 Form 990, form filed with the IRS and available via Guidestar.org, November 21, 2008.
  7. American Legislative Exchange Council, 1998 Form 990, form filed with the IRS and available via Guidestar.org, May 14, 1999.
  8. Rightwingwatch.org, National Taxpayers uNion, organizational website, accessed June 20, 2014.
  9. National Taxpayers Union, Board of Directors, organizational website, October 6, 2016.
  10. NTU.org, Board of Directors, organization website, accessed June 20, 2014.
  11. National Taxpapyers Union, Staff, organizational website, accessed October 6, 2016.
  12. NTU.org, Staff, organizational website, accessed June 20, 2014.
  13. National Taxpayers Union, 2014 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, October 19, 2015.
  14. National Taxpayers Union, 2013 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, November 17, 2014.
  15. National Taxpayers Union, 2012 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, November 14, 2013.
  16. National Taxpayers Union Foundation, NTUF 2014 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, October 19, 2015.
  17. National Taxpayers Union Foundation, NTUF 2013 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, November 17, 2014.
  18. National Taxpayers Union Foundation, NTUF 2012 IRS Form 990, Internal Revenue Service, November 14, 2013.

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