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Tax Deductions
 
Membership dues, donations and individual expenses for IDA volunteer work, including mileage, are tax deductible if you keep receipts and records of mileage, since Texas IDA is an Official Section of IDA, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. 

If you live in Texas and join the International Dark-Sky Association (IDA), you are automatically a member of Texas IDA.  If members wish to avoid paying sales tax on large expense copying and other needs, an officer of the Section can authorize a member to use a Texas Sales and Use Tax Exemption Certification.

Tax deductible contributions designated for use in Texas should be made directly to Texas IDA.  Use the Contact Us link to find out the mailing address of Texas IDA or how to apply for a waiver of the state sales tax.  Texas IDA has an official bank account and makes an annual report to IDA of itemized income and expenses.  
 

Lobbying
As a result of IDA's filing a special IRS form in 2009, the lobbying rules that IDA and Texas IDA must follow are much less restrictive than in the past. In short, Texas IDA and its members CAN lobby a legislative body now using the Texas IDA name as long as the money spent on the legislative lobbying is small. If no money is spent at all, then we are OK and within the rules. What exactly is meant by small? Well, you will have to contact the Texas IDA Coordinator who will be able to assist you further as there is no simple answer.
 
Here is the legislative lobbying excerpt from the IDA's June, 2010 Lobbying Guidelines to Texas IDA:
 

Legislative

The major change resulting from the Form 5768 IRS filing is for legislative lobbying. Legislation includes action by a legislative body with respect to acts, bills, resolutions, or similar items (such as legislative confirmation of appointive office) or by the public in referendums, ballot initiatives, constitutional amendments, or similar procedures. Legislative lobbying covers both direct lobbying (attempting to influence a member or employee of a legislative body or any other government employee who may participate in formulating legislation) and grass roots lobbying (attempting to influence legislation by affecting opinions of the general public or a segment thereof).

The IRS form filed in 2009 permits IDA and affiliated organizations to engage in legislative lobbying as long as total expenditures do not exceed certain limits based on IDA’s annual income. These limits are high enough that, as a practical matter, money spent by IDA Chapters on legislative lobbying is not likely to be a problem. If you plan on spending any money, $5 or $500, please let us know. Since you are all working under the IDA 501 c 3 designation, your spending is cumulative for the organization.

An organization may communicate with its members about legislation of direct interest to the organization; such communications will not count toward the expenditure limit unless they directly encourage attempts to influence legislation.

Please note also that individuals spending their own money and using their own name (without IDA association) are not subject to any limitations on legislative lobbying.

 

Confidentiality
As a Section of IDA, Texas IDA has access to the list of IDA members in our state. The information can be shared with other IDA members on a limited basis (sharing only the names of members in a small geographic area) if needed for accomplishing the mission of the Association. This information shall not be used except to contact members for Texas IDA business. Texas IDA will NOT sell your information to third-parties or use it in any way that violates the privacy of our members.

 

 

 

For more information:
"Never doubt that a small group of dedicated citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it's the only thing that ever does."
Margaret Mead
 

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Local Activities

- Updates on Dark-Sky Efforts in Fayette County

-Dark Sky Initiatives in and Around Blanco