daily nebraskan
page 7
NU foundation members not worried about new tax laws
monday, October 12, 1981
By Tom Shelton
Despite their potential for removing incentives to large
donations, recent changes in US. tax laws do not have
members of the NU Foundation worried, said Bob Sand
berg, foundation vice president.
Sandberg said the intricacies of the 1981 Economic Re
covery Tax Act was difficult for layman to understand,
but the changes basically make it less likely for "big-time
philanthropists" to make donations.
"With the lowering of tax brackets, the tax incentive
for charitable gifts is lowered," Sandberg said. However,
the incentive will be only relatively modified, he said.
Sandberg said the tax laws will actually make it more
twice about who they wish to give money to. He said,
though, that he wasn't worried about the foundation
being overlooked.
"We hope to be one of the charities they (donors) still
support," he said.
Sandberg said those who donate to the foundation do
so with the hope of helping the university and not for tax
write offs.
Continue to give
"Those people who have a lifelong history of giving to
the university will continue to give," Sandberg said.
Sandberg said the tax laws will actually mean it more
likely for people to give small donations, because they
make some previously non-deductable donations deduct
able. "The new laws should encourage small gifts from peo
ple who do not itemize their income tax deductions," he
said.
Sandberg said the biggest potential damage to the
foundation comes in the area of estate taxes, where he
said the most sweeping changes were made.
Everything over $175,625 in an estate is taxable but by
1987 the taxable ceiling will be $600,000.
The new changes will allow more money to pass to
heirs of an estate without being taxed. Sandberg said this
raises the possibility of heirs being less likely to be charit
able since they would be less likely to need tax deduct
ions. Still, Sandberg said he was not overly concerned.
"We don't expect any significant change in the amount
of donations due to this change," he said. "We're opti
mistic or we wouldn't be in business."
Hirsch agrees
Ed Hirsch, vice president and corporate secretary of
the foundation, agreed that the foundation will not be
hurt by the tax changes.
"People who want to help will give anyway," he said.
Hirsch said he did not fear that people who have pledged
to support the university will not fulfill their pledges with
the new changes.
"Our donors have had an excellent pledge record," he
said. "We expect that they will live up to their pledges."
Sandberg said it took him a considerable time to
analyze and calculate the effect of the tax changes. He is
sending estate administrators, donors, attorneys and
certified public accountants a plan which explains the tax
changes and gives tips about how to donate the most
money possible and remain able to receive tax
advantages.
Lawyers working to protect liberties
By Joe Kreizinger
Protection of the constitutional rights of the individual
is the principle objective of the Nebraska Civil Liberties
Union, said Dick Kurtenbach, NCLU executive director.
Kurtenbach said the NCLU operates in three ways to
protect liberties ensured by the Bill of Rights. The NCLU
is involved in litigation on civil rights cases, lobbying in
the Nebraska Legislature and in educating the public on
civil rights issues, he said.
The NCLU, which was organized in 1967, is an affiliate
of the American Civil Liberties Union based in Washing
ton, D.C. The ACLU, in service since 1920, operates with
the same principles and objectives as the NCLU, he said.
The NCLU is involved in about 16 cases, Kurtenbach
said. One of its major cases is its lawsuit questioning jail
conditions in Lincoln.
"Our view is that Lincoln jail conditions clearly violate
the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits cruel and
unusual punishment, "especially since the jail houses
mostly pre-trial people who become confined to really
horrible conditions," Kurtenbach said.
Kurtenbach said about 100 cooperating attorneys work
for the NCLU in a variety of ways, ranging from repre-
sentating individuals in civil rights cases to working on be
half of prisoners. About 70 of the attorneys are from the
Lincoln or Omaha areas, he said.
A lawyer's panel of seven or eight attorneys meets
periodically in Lincoln to decide which cases the NCLU
will represent. Kurtenbach's office screens some of the
cases. If the case does not involve the protection of Bill of
Rights or similar civil liberties, the NCLU office may refer
the case elsewhere.
"We also have to take into account whether or not the
case is win-able," Kurtenbach said. "We have to work on
limited resources."
The lawyers panel makes its recommendation to the
18-man board of directors, which makes the final decision
on which cases the NCLU will litigate, he said.
Kurtenbach said the NCLU has handled some cases in
volving high school and college students, mostly during
the late 1960s. He said the majority of these cases
involved hair length. Today, few cases involve high school
or college students, he said.
According to Kurtenbach, the NCLU is a private
organization, and funding comes solely from private
donations and membership dues. About 800 persons make
up the membership, he said.
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