This post is part of a thread on another forum about how to nail churchs
who are violating their tax-excempt status by advocating the election of
specific candidates. (I have one in mind)
I thought I would share the info here.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x2628252 If you have specific evidence of a violation, The district director's office for
examinations, or if you can't find that the, the IRS office in Cincinnati/Covington KY,
which is where most exemption applications are processed, and make a note that
it is a "referral". I think you can find the addresses at www.irs.gov--in Chicago, its
at 230 South Dearborn Street. These guys are professionals and they take
enforcing the law seriously.
However, the policy issue comes from DC. There you would right the Director of
Exempt Organizations and Governmental Entities-- TE/GE, or the Assistant
Directors for Tax Policy or Examinations. Again, check the IRS websites for
addresses. I belive many of these guys are not political appointees, but career civil
servant--doesn't mean that they won't be immune from political pressure, though.
If churches think that they will be audited and that the IRS is actually willing to
revoke exemptions, by maybe doing one or two clear cut ones that the community
hears about or, in lieu of revoking tax exemptions, imposing a statutorily
authorized penalty excise tax on prohibited political activities, then the other
churches are going to be more attunted to compliance issues. Its the threat of
getting caught, but that threat doesn't deter bad behaviour unless they think that
getting caught is a realistic possibility.
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