Protesters at police barricade

Traditionally, the New York City People’s Life Fund (NYC PLF) celebrates Tax Day by redirecting resisted war taxes to life-affirming community groups. This Tax Day we were unable to make grants, but we felt it was very important to exhibit a presence along with other protesters at the Manhattan District Office of the IRS on West 44th Street west of Sixth Avenue.

Police presence was at an all-time high, incredibly disproportionate to the numbers of protesters, who were confined to a very narrow area behind police barriers. They were thus prevented from leafleting directly in front of the IRS office. Much of the police presence was the typical overreaction to the Occupy Wall Street movement, many of whose participants are also supporters of or at least sympathizers with the war tax resistance movement.

In the absence of our normal grant award celebration in which representatives of grantee organizations speak of their work and its vital links to the community, we sought to spread the word of the work of New York City People’s Life Fund through leafleting. As made clear in our brochure, the Fund takes the next critical step in resistance—funding life-affirming organizations rather than weapons and war.

Because the Life Fund is partly comprised of resisted war taxes, it represents the most direct way for resisters to make a difference in their community. It strengthens the building of community organizations and helps to shape a world in which we would like to live. Examples of organizations we have helped in the past include:

• NYCOSH (New York Committee for Occupational Safety & Health)
• Emmaus House Harlem
• NEDAP (Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project)
• CHIPS (Christian Help in Park Slope)
• Picture the Homeless
• Theater for the New City
• Action Racket Theatre

Our hope is that at next year’s Tax Day protest, we will be able to further the action of all war tax resisters. We hope to celebrate the redirection of funds to community organizations whose efforts affirm life and reject the investment of tax moneys into war efforts. In order to realize this vision, we are asking for your support.

No amount is too small. If enough people make even a small contribution, they will be helping us to realize the vision of giving back to our community. Contributions to the New York City People’s Life Fund may be sent to:

New York City People’s Life Fund
339 Lafayette Street
New York, NY  10012

Thank you for your interest and support.

—Robert Hieger, Co-Administrator, NYC PLF