From the Director's Desk

Economic Stimulus Act Can Benefit Fairness Too

Christina Gilgor, Executive Director

If you're like me, you may have received a mailing from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) detailing the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008.

Passed by the United States Congress and signed into law by President Bush, it will provide over 130 million American households with payments beginning this month.

Individuals who qualify will receive up to $600, or more for couples filing joint returns and/or those who have children. For folks who earned more than $75,000 adjusted gross income in 2007, unfortunately, it sounds like your payment will be less or "phased out completely."

I know I began thinking about what to do with my economic stimulus check as soon as I heard Congress was taking up the matter. I pretty much had it spent early on getting the brakes changed on the car, paying down a credit card bill, and putting a portion of it into savings.

However, I'm committed to the work of fairness across our Commonwealth and I'm going to use this opportunity to give a little more.

I challenge you to join me in contributing a portion of your payment to the Kentucky Fairness Alliance Foundation, a 501(c)3 public charity. I urge you to contribute $50, $100, or whatever you can. By doing so you'll be able to write it off as a tax-deductible contribution on your 2008 federal tax return.

Many times, people wait until the end of the calendar year to make their charitable donations, but I ask: Why wait given the extra cash? Make your tax-deductible contribution online using our secure server, or complete a printer-friendly version to contribute by mail.

In the coming months, KFA will continue to work for you in Frankfort, the metropolitan areas of Louisville and Lexington, and in rural communities where two-thirds of our operating funds originate.

For example, this summer the KFA Foundation is sponsoring a series of screenings of the film "For the Bible Tells Me So" in mostly rural areas. We've started working on a 2008 Pride Calendar to help our members get involved in pride celebrations in their home communities. Come fall, we hope to bring back Community Forums to educate our members about the opportunities and obstacles we face in building a fair Kentucky for everyone.

It takes all of us, democrats, republicans, and independents, rural and city folks, men and women, gay and straight, to bring about the justice we seek. Even if we all can’t agree on what to call the state of our national economy, let’s use this as an opportunity to build for a fairer future.

You can visit the IRS website for additional information regarding the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008. This is in no way a guarantee of payment to anyone. Only those who filed a 2007 federal tax return this month will be eligble.

Visit our secure online server to make your contribution to the KFA Foundation today, or contact us to learn about becoming a sustaining member of the KFA Foundation with your monthly gift.