National War Tax Resistance Coordinating Committee

Weekend Schedule and Coordinating Committee Meeting Agenda Items (draft)

Friday, November 3
5 pm Register and gather at Catholic Worker
6 pm Supper
7 - 9 pm Welcome, Introduction to Las Vegas Catholic Worker
Evening Discussion: Money, Resistance, and Life Choices
"The Influence of Money on Decisions to Engage in WTR" is the topic of a 1989 article by former NWTRCC Coordinator Karen Marysdaughter in which she argues that the power of money (having it) keeps people from participating in WTR. During this time of hideous war we are not seeing a significant upturn in interest in WTR, nor is the peace movement on a particular roll. Exploring this issue of the influence of money may give us some insights to improve our outreach or take better advantage of promoting some of the positive aspects of being a WTR on one's relationship with money, such as redirection. Short presentations from various perspectives to start the discussion will include Gary Cavalier, Las Vegas Catholic Worker; David Gross, updating practical #5, "Low Income/Simple Living"; and others.

Saturday, November 4
6am Help with Soup Kitchen (optional)
8 am Breakfast
9 am Welcome and Logistics
9: 30 am Presentation on initial results from the WTR Survey + Discussion
10:30 Break
10:45 Workshops/Small Group Discussions
o Basic War Tax Resistance Workshop
o WTR Survey and 1-year Campaign
o Developing New Video (possibly look at some video or video clips and help determine the focus/style of a new video
12:30 Lunch
1:30 Hearing from Las Vegas Activists - TBD
2:30 Counseling Update & Telephone Excise Tax Changes
3:30 Small group discussion/workshops
o Making videos
o Telephone tax resistance repercussions - See Larry's article from Aug. '06 MTAP
o Other groups could continue from a.m. or form new ones
5:30 Break
6:00 Dinner Evening is open - possible action or video making?

Sunday, November 5
9 - Noon NWTRC Business Meeting followed by lunch

CC Agenda Items (draft)

* Four Proposals - Video Projects (below), Handbook, Speakers' Bureau, "Don't Pay for War" Sign-on Statement

* Budget and Finance Report - newbudget06-07.pdf and 98-present.pdf

Consultant's Report

* Review Current and Set New Objections -

Report from international conference, Oct. 26-29, Berlin (written)

Survey/1-Year Boycott - prelim survey findings

* New literature/resources - W-4 flyer (announce), Practical #5 (review draft), Practical #8 on Money (idea), Financial Aid flyer (draft)

* Location of May '07 meeting - Peace Abbey in Massachusetts is an option. Fall '07 will be in Kansas.

Cards to people who have experienced levies, seizures, etc - please email names to the NWTRCC Office

*These items involve a decision

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VIDEO PROPOSAL TO THE NWTRCC BUSINESS MEETING
(the word "video" is used for shorthand. Final versions will be a mix of internet, DVD, video, etc.)

Subject: Support funding and ongoing work on WTR Video Projects - Contest, Shorts, WTR Film

Submitted by the Video Committee: Daniel Woodham, Facilitator; Ed Hedemann, Susan Quinlan, Steev Hise, Peter Smith, Ruth Benn, Alice Liu, Larry Dansinger, Carol Coney, Tom Jackson, Bill Ramsey, Sherill Crosby

SUMMARY
Pursuant to the NWTRCC planning meeting in New York, November 2005, the "WTR Video Committee" has been working on plans to create videos about WTR. One style we're working on is "shorts": possibly animated, posted on the internet, with the goal of attracting viewers to learn more information about WTR by linking them to the NWTRCC website. Another style is the feature length piece geared at teaching viewers more about the Hows and Whys of doing WTR. This would be shown to audiences in a cinema, social hall, dinner party, etc. Sections of the video would potentially be used to conduct WTR trainings (WTR 101s).
This proposal requests informed consent from the NWTRCC business meeting for the "Video Committee" to continue its work on these projects and to add a line-item in the NWTRCC budget for the video projects.

EXPLANATION
It was deemed a high priority in the NWTRCC planning meeting in New York, November 2005 to create videos that would better reach people interested in learning about WTR, update training videos that we currently use for WTR training workshops, and even "hook" people that would view a video "short" who have no previous knowledge about WTR. A WTR video committee was formed to address this need. Through several phone conferences this committee has formulated rough plans for two different projects:

1) Video "Shorts" will be 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length, be posted on the internet where it would be likely to be seen by a large number of viewers, especially younger people, and hope to "hook" people's interest. The viewer would then be able to go to the NWTRCC website, linked to the video short, where they would be able to learn more about WTR. The video committee decided a good way to have this video created would be to run a nationwide "video contest" in art schools and universities with video departments. NWTRCC would request submissions, decide if any are what we are looking for, and have monetary awards for the top 3 submissions. Winners would also receive the fame and notoriety of having their work displayed on the website of a national peace group (NWTRCC). See draft flyer (PDF)

Funding: The video committee has spoken of $600 in prize money to be awarded to the top 3 contestants of this project $300, $200, $100). An additional $400 is requested to cover outreach, technical needs such as copying tapes, etc. Special efforts will be made to cover these costs (see budget below).

Timeline: Nov. 5-Approve contest concept/budget; Nov 15-Begin Contest outreach, launch "Intro" webpage; Feb 28-Deadline for entries; March 7-21-Web screening/"voting"; Local Affiliate & Youth Focus Groups; Judges make final decisions; Early April-Announce winners

2) The "feature-length" video is more in a rough-draft stage. We defined the audience as 1) the general public, 2) progressives but who aren't WTRs and haven't thought much about it yet, 3) people on the verge of deciding to do it and come to a workshop. We've talked about many different approaches, the footage that we already have, and we outlined what might be covered in a 60-minute film (See 60-min. outline draft), which can be edited down to shorter times for different purposes. We've named filmmakers and talked to some, but the pieces are not in place yet.

Funding: This is tricky since we don't know who will make this video yet and what production costs might be. In order to find someone to make the film, we need to begin fundraising to show that we have some money to pay for costs. Thus, much of the work in the coming months is beginning to fundraise while we develop more specific ideas for the project and find someone to do this project for us. One professional filmmaker told us she "could do something that would work very well for your needs in the $35-50,000 range, if it doesn't involve too much travel," and that "raising that amount would be realistic with a well-organized effort." Of course, we might go for something slightly less professional that will cost less…….

Timeline: There is currently no timeline for this project.

Budget (first year):
Income (The video committee will work with the NWTRCC AdCom and the NWTRCC fundraising coordinator to seek new funding/funders for this.)
Grants $3,000
Individuals $1,500
Fundraiser $500
Total $5,000

Expenses:
Contest Prizes: $600
Copy tapes; fix ups $200 ($100 contest)
Conference Calls $200
Contest Outreach: $100 (flyers, mailings)
Fundraising $200 (mailings, phone calls)
Feature length fund $3,700
Total $5,000