This social action news was forwarded by a UUCP member who thought it would be of interest:

Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act (KETRA) Expands Tax Incentives through Dec. 31 for Charitable Giving

To encourage immediate gifts of cash to all charitable organizations, Congress enacted the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 (KETRA). Special incentives were included in the KETRA legislation to encourage charitable giving outside of Katrina relief, to prevent the rest of the nation's charities from seeing a downturn in giving as they did after the events of 9/11.

In particular, KETRA contains two special expanded tax incentives for those who make charitable gifts of cash to any qualified charity between August 28, 2005 and December 31, 2005. It is important that those who think they might benefit from KETRA contact their advisors regarding their unique tax situation.

For more information, visit the WSU Foundation website at http://wsufoundation.wsu.edu/ and click on the KETRA link in the lower left-hand corner.

If you come across any social action news that you would like to share on the blog, or if you would like to write or report on a social action issue, please contact the social action committee.

A group of about 60 to 70 people braved the snow Tuesday and came to the UUCP for a meeting on the proposed Moscow Super WalMart. Those present learned about the experiences of the Pullman Alliance for Responsible Development in their ongoing struggle against a SuperWalmart in their community. Evan Holmes also made a presentation, in which he explained the steps -- we like to think of them as hurdles -- that WalMart would need to surmount to build a SuperCenter in our community.

There will be a follow-up meeting next Tuesday, December 6, for those in the community who want to lead and coordinate the Moscow resistance effort. The meeting will be at 7:00 in the Church Basement.

There is also a website where news and information about the WalMart will be posted and distributed. http://www.nosuperwalmart.com is still under construction, but you should plan to rely on it for accurate information on the resistance. On the site, you will find a discussion group listserv. I encourage you to include your address there so that you will receive all the news.

We are still looking for community leaders to help in this effort. In particular, we are looking for lawyers to help make decisions on incorporation and assess legal challenges, and researchers, writers, and community spokespeople. If you have these skills and would like to help, please come to the meeting Tuesday. If you can’t make it but would be willing to volunteer your expertise, please email the Social Action Committee and we will pass the information along to the leaders of the resistance.