Daniel Mayer wrote:
So I simply suggested that everybody consider
setting aside the issues that
have been stopping action for nearly a year. I did *not* suggest that any rash
decisions be made or that things get decided unilaterally or randomly. But I
did suggest that issues relating to legal ownership (a major bottleneck - in my
observation - so far) can be worked out in due time. As is, the great majority
of the money is just sitting there.
Legal ownership isn't really particularly a bottleneck here.
As more and more chapters get tax exempt status,
this will be more and more of
an issue. This issue needs to be worked out ASAP, before over half the money
generated in fund drives goes to chapters instead of directly to the
foundation.
An alternative to this, which Soufron is looking into for me (but he
warns that it will take some months at least) is to get the foundation
itself directly recognized in Europe as having tax exempt status.
--Jimbo
Hoi,
I have had contact with the Dutch taxoffice in Heerlen about this issue.
It is possible for the Wikimedia Foundation to have a tax exempt status
in the Netherlands. The Tax office takes a much more severe look at
organisations that are not Dutch. Typically only 1% of the requests are
honored I was told. It makes no difference if it is a US or a European
organisation I was told. When we are to ask for a tax exempt status for
a Dutch chapter, we could prepare papers for the WMF at the same time..
Given the great reputation the WMF has in the Netherlands it should be
possible to acquire this status. This reputation can be demonstrated in
quotes of organisations like Kennisnet who have publicly stated that
Wikipedia is important to the Dutch education.
Thanks,
Gerard