Burlington – Equality Vermont, which monitors legislation with potential impact on the state's lgbt communities, is soon to be officially partnered with the R.U.1.2? Queer Community Center.
Both groups are currently recognized as tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organizations by the Internal Revenue Service. Under the new plan, Equality Vermont will reorganize as a 501(c)(4) political group, without tax-exempt status, associated with the tax-exempt R.U.1.2? Center.
      "It's similar to having a PAC [political action committee]," explained R.U.1.2? Director Christopher Kaufman. "I wouldn't characterize it as a merger."
     "It's a great fit. We've already been working together on Queer Summits and Queer Visibility Days at the legislature. R.U.1.2? is a strong organization," said Equality Vermont's Virginia Renfrew.
The boards of the two organizations will have considerable overlap in members.
      Equality Vermont recently sent out a fundraising plea for the $500 it needs to apply for "C-4" status.
        "Everyone at the Center will work for the C-4, which will bill the C-3 for 97 percent of the expenditures," Kaufman said.
     "The C-4 is intended to be low-key. We hope to do candidate forums for the mayoral elections in Burlington," he continued. "Later on we'll do some get-out-the-vote activities and candidate surveys with ratings based on the answers on issues important to our community. We could endorse candidates, but we're not likely to. We expect to spend about $2-3 thousand on C-4 acitivities."
      Donations to the Center will be assumed to be non-tax-deductible gifts to the C-4 group unless they are specifically directed to the C-3 Community Center, Kaufman said. The change will not affect the Center’s ability to continue as a worksite for Americorps Vista workers like CyberCenter director Peggy Luhrs. Luhrs technically does not work for the Center, but for the City of Burlington, although Kaufman counts her as a "staff member."
      "This will broaden our reach politically and make us more effective," Kaufman declared. He also said that the board of the C-4 group will decide which issues the group will take on. "Currently the only issue we're working on is H.478," the gender identity and expression bill introduced last session, he added.
      Kaufman cautioned, "This does not mean we have the capacity to take on extra work."