[Foundation-l] [ANNOUNCEMENT] Greenspan illustration project

[George Herbert]

The concern is that we're perhaps talking about getting independent
contractor paperwork (for US citizens, including a social security number)
for perhaps hundreds of people.

"The Foundation just does it" is legally correct, presumably, but the
concern was whether it was going to be a mess for the Foundation or not.

It's not primarily a policy issue, but one of curiosity by the community
into what may end up being an operational / administrative headache for the
founation.

Also, there are privacy issues.  If the Foundation ends up needing to 1099
people to pay them in the US, then you have to do the social security number
thing for US contractors, which may discourage some from participating.

If it doesn't interest you then that's fine, but it seems to concern some of
the rest of us...


-george william herbert

On Nov 2, 2007 6:30 PM, GerardM <gerard.meijssen at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hoi,
> Why would the WMF buy from the community for the rights to material that
> the
> community already makes available in the first place ?
>
> When the WMF pays specific people to do a specific job that involves the
> creation or conversion of material in order to have more / better /
> whatever
> illustrations for the Wikipedia project it is irrelevant whether they are
> a
> member of the community as well. Again, I do not understand the relevance
> to
> this list. It is up to the WMF to deal with taxes where and when they have
> to be paid. It is none of our business.
> Thanks,
>    GerardM
>
> On 11/3/07, George Herbert <george.herbert at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > I think you may misunderstand.  The concern is that the WMF will now,
> for
> > the first time that I know of (but I could be ignorant), be paying or
> > purchasing something (good, or services) from members of the community,
> > and
> > not from a normal vendor or paying an internal employee.
> >
> > The WMF might be required, under some interpretations of tax law in the
> US
> > and how the payments are structured, to get a US IRS tax form (form 1099
> > probably) for each person it paid for an illustration.  Which is a lot
> of
> > administrative and recordkeeping headache and requires things like a
> > social
> > security number to be provided, etc.
> >
> > If it's structured so that the foundation is buying the rights to an
> > image,
> > then that may be outside the contractor / pay for work structure enough
> to
> > be safe.  But this is legal / accountant territory.
> >
> >
> > -george william herbert
> >
> > On Nov 2, 2007 6:03 PM, GerardM <gerard.meijssen at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > > Hoi,
> > > Indeed. But in all instances, it is none of our business nor of the
> WMF
> > > how
> > > the donor handles it re his taxes. When we accept a gift and spend it
> > > within
> > > the limitations associated with that gift, how the WMF pays applicable
> > > taxes
> > > is of no concern to either the donor or to the Wikimedia community as
> it
> > > is
> > > part and parcel of spending the money.
> > >
> > > It is unlikely that the US tax office will restrict us from spending
> > money
> > > outside the US and consequently I do not understand at all why it is
> > > relevant to consider taxes.
> > > Thanks,
> > >    GerardM
> > >
> > >
> > > On 11/3/07, Sue Reed <sreed1234 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message ----
> > > > From: GerardM gerard.meijssen at gmail.com
> > > >
> > > > Once money has been given to the WMF, the WMF can spend the money
> > where
> > > it
> > > > wants. People or organisations may deduct taxes under certain
> > > conditions.
> > > > If
> > > > these conditions are met is none of our business.
> > > > Thanks,
> > > >     GerardM
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > That's not actually true. US-based non-profits typically have
> > restricted
> > > > funds and non-restricted funds. Money given under non-restricted
> funds
> > > can
> > > > be used however the non-profit feels is necessary. However, money
> > > > specifically given to certain projects must be used for those
> > projects.
> > > > Reading Cary's email, it looks like this gift was given
> *specifically*
> > > for
> > > > use in creating various illustrations for Wikipedia projects. That
> is
> > > the
> > > > only thing that the money can be used for. IANAL and don't have
> access
> > > to
> > > > the specifics of the grant, but things like employment taxes would
> > > probably
> > > > be covered. Most grants require specific accounting back to the
> people
> > > > giving the money on how they funds were spent.
> > > >
> > > > Sue Anne
> > > > sreed1234 at yahoo.com
> > > >
> > > > _______________________________________________
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> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > -george william herbert
> > george.herbert at gmail.com
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-- 
-george william herbert
george.herbert at gmail.com