CLUA (Cecil Land Use Alliance, Inc.) is organized as
a "social welfare organization" as defined in the IRS code,
section 501(c)(4). As such, we
educate ourselves and fellow citizens on land use issues,
actively promote our ideas for smart growth, write to and
meet with our elected leaders about these issues, and
engage in lobbying on behalf of legislation that advances our
ideals. We also carry on some
political activities, although that is not our primary activity.
Any political activity that we engage in will be on a strictly
non-partisan basis. Members and doners to CLUA should not
consider their dues or contributions to be tax deductible.
During election years, we will establish a Political Committee
and a separate fund for political activities. These activities
may include educating voters about the positions taken by
candidates for office on various issues of interest to CLUA, or
supporting candidates for local political office who
will act to advance the Cecil Land Use Alliance vision for
our county. A list
of our current political activities (if any) can be found on our
CLUA Politics page.
We also realize that not everyone will be interested in
or comfortable with political endorsements, and it is our plan
(resources permitting) to eventually establish a separate 501(c)(3)
tax-deductible organization to carry on some of CLUA's research
and education activities. That will enable members of CLUA
who do not wish to support political activities to
remain fully active in our other work. That is, we expect
that CLUA will eventually consist of two organizations,
a 501(c)(3) and a 501(c)(4), with the same vision but engaged
in different kinds of activities. Members will be able to
affiliate with either or both.