National Taxpayers Union

National Taxpayers Union
Formation	1969
Headquarters	Alexandria, Virginia, U.S.
Membership	362,000
Website	http://www.ntu.org

National Taxpayers Union (NTU) is a taxpayers advocacy organization and taxpayers union in the United States, founded in 1969 by James Dale Davidson. NTU advertises that it is the largest and oldest grassroots taxpayer organization in the nation, with 362,000 members nationwide. It is closely affiliated with a non-profit foundation, the National Taxpayers Union Foundation (NTUF). According to the Form 990 returns of NTUF, the NTU and NTUF share staff, facilities, website and board members.^[1]

Policy positions

The National Taxpayers Union has worked to enact constitutional limits on government taxes, spending and debt. The organization also played a role in Federal income tax indexing, so inflation no longer bumps taxpayers into higher brackets. It also worked for the passage of a Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

The NTU favors either a Flat Tax or the FairTax (a national sales tax with rebate) for the United States, as opposed to the current income tax system now in use.^[2] The organization argues in favor of the line-item veto for the president. ^[3] NTU generally opposes crop subsidies by the government (such as for sugar and ethanol).^[4] The organization's briefs and policy papers decry the "death tax," (a tax on estates)^[5] and supports deregulation.^[6] NTU also provides information on "Congressional & Executive Pay/Perks" (e.g., NTU estimates the public pensions payments for Members of Congress),^[7] and NTU has called for reforms to deny a publicly-funded pension to Members of Congress convicted of a felony.^[8]

Activities

Balanced Budget Amendment - NTU has been a proponent for a Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) to the Constitution.

Government Spending Transparency - The National Taxpayers Union has been a proponent of the "Google Government" movement. More specifically, the organization calls for the creation of searchable Internet databases that provide information on state government grant and contract expenditures.

NTU is a founding sponsor of www.ShowMeTheSpending.org [1], a website dedicated to online government spending transparency.

NTU Rates Congress - NTU rates U.S. Representatives and Senators on their congressional votes. NTU Rates Congress includes "every vote that significantly affects taxes, spending, debt, and regulatory burdens on consumers and taxpayers."^[9] NTU then assigns weights to the votes, reflecting the importance of each vote's effect on federal spending, when calculating each officials score.

A grade of "A" indicates the organization views the member as a strong supporter of responsible^{[not specific enough to verify]} tax and spending policies. The organization gives these members of Congress the "Taxpayers' Friend Award."

Senator Jim DeMint receives Taxpayers' Friend Award, 2007

Research - NTU writes policy papers on many subjects they view as important to the taxpayer. The organization also sends issue briefs to its members throughout the country outlining topics and issues that might be of interest to them.

NoTaxHikers.org – NTU launched www.NoTaxHikers.org [2] in fall 2008. The site asks visitors to pledge to not to vote for tax hikers.

History

James Dale Davidson began the organization in 1969.

In 1970, Davidson hired A. Earnest Fitzgerald, a United States Air Force analyst, as the president of NTU. In 1978, Grover Norquist, was named executive director; after his departure in 1982, he was replaced by former Maryland State Senate Majority Leader George Snyder.

In 1997, Davidson left NTU; John Berthoud was named president and served until his death in late 2007.

Duane Parde was named president of the organization following the death of Berthoud.

See also

• Arkansas Project
• Americans For Fair Taxation
• Americans for Tax Reform
• Citizens for Tax Justice
• Tax Foundation

References

1. ^ Sourcewatch.org (2008). "National Taxpayers Union". http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=National_Taxpayers_Union. Retrieved 2008-07-02 
2. ^ "To Compete in a Global Economy, U.S. Must Discard Backward-Looking Tax Policy, Study Concludes" (Press release). National Taxpayers Union. 2005-09-14. http://www.ntu.org/main/press_release.php?PressID=768&org_name=NTUF. Retrieved 2007-02-26. 
3. ^ "Taxpayer Group Delivers Reminder to Rushed Senators: "The Line-Item Veto – Don't Leave Town Without It!"" (Press release). National Taxpayers Union. 2006-09-27. http://www.ntu.org/main/press_release.php?PressID=872&org_name=NTU. Retrieved 2007-02-26. 
4. ^ "Taxpayer Group Proposes Cures for Congress's Sugar-Subsidy "Sweet Tooth"" (Press release). National Taxpayers Union. 2006-04-25. http://www.ntu.org/main/press_release.php?PressID=834&org_name=NTU. Retrieved 2007-02-26. 
5. ^ "Senate Should Seize New Chance to Ditch the Death Tax, Nation’s Largest Taxpayer Group Says" (Press release). National Taxpayers Union. 2006-04-13. http://www.ntu.org/main/press_release.php?PressID=827&org_name=NTU. Retrieved 2007-02-26. 
6. ^ "Taxpayer Group Urges Congress to Scuttle Net Neutrality Legislation, Act Instead on Telecom Deregulation" (Press release). National Taxpayers Union. 2006-05-24. http://www.ntu.org/main/press_release.php?PressID=841&org_name=NTU. Retrieved 2007-02-26. 
7. ^ http://www.ntu.org/main/faq.php
8. ^ http://www.ntu.org/pdf/L06%2011-28%20Congressional%20Pensions.pdf
9. ^ http://www.ntu.org/misc_items/rating/VS_2006.pdf

External links

• National Taxpayers Union website