Scratch, DCP, and the IRS

[_harmony]

It's the difference between exempt and non-exempt. What he does outside of the task the university hires him to do is his own business; he's paid the same whether his university tasks take him 20 hours a week or 50. He could be shooting pictures for calendars, driving private limos, editing historical romance novels, or writing apologetics during the standard work time frame that he's paid by the university, as long as his assigned tasks are performed. It's called being exempt.

Which I've acknowledged. But it does no harm to ask genuine questions out of curiosity. Anyone who thinks I'm trying to point the finger at Dan and make unsubstantiated claims to defame him, has to be off their face. Because Scratch raises questions doesn't mean all of his questions are illigetimate. I don't share his conclusions, and I know what it's like to be scrutinised by Scratch. No one should be exempt from scrutiny, Scratch included, but we have too little information to go on to do that. So I do sense the imbalance here. I'm not defending Scratch, only following up on questions that I have myself.

I am exempt in my job. And I am always in good standing, which means that no one is going to come unglued that I'm answering posts on MDB during work hours. It's kinda hard to argue with almost $600,000 this past year.

[_Ray A]

It's kinda hard to argue with almost $600,000 this past year.

Gee, you could buy the Isle of Capri if you were devious. :)

[_Daniel Peterson]

Dan, I know this may be a little off-topic, but can you elaborate a little about your meeting with the Muslim community in Sydney? In particular your impressions of Keyser Trad? I don't know if you're aware of this, but Trad is now encouraging the government to accept polygamy, and legalise it.

I had probably better answer that by PM at some point. (I'm going to bed right now. Feel free to drop me a PM so that I don't forget.)

I don't think that I'm unduly paranoid to suspect that any comments that I make on that topic here could be used -- and might well be used -- by certain people here in an attempt to discredit me in the eyes of Muslims, which would do serious damage to several things that I value and could even be potentially dangerous.

What was the Muslim community's general reaction to your visit?

It was very positive, very appreciative of what we're doing.

[_Ray A]

I had probably better answer that by PM at some point. (I'm going to bed right now. Feel free to drop me a PM so that I don't forget.)

Don't need PM. I'll email you sometime soon.

I don't think that I'm unduly paranoid to suspect that any comments that I make on that topic here could be used -- and might well be used -- by certain people here in an attempt to discredit me in the eyes of Muslims, which would do serious damage to several things that I value and could even be potentially dangerous.

I already know your basic views, which you shared in your visit with me, but I'll go into some more questions later.

[_harmony]

It's kinda hard to argue with almost $600,000 this past year.

Gee, you could buy the Isle of Capri if you were devious. :)

If I wasn't hung by my irate network. I do well because I'm a straightshooter and they trust my word. And because my bank reports always match what they think they've raised. And my bonus is very nice.

[_Ray A]

If I wasn't hung by my irate network. I do well because I'm a straightshooter and they trust my word. And because my bank reports always match what they think they've raised. And my bonus is very nice.

I think you're a straight-shooter in everything you post. I'd trust you with my life-savings.

[_antishock8]

Well, I suppose a quick look at the curriculum vitae would just clear this up. Mr. Peterson, please provide the Internet a look at your CV covering the last ten years. That should do it. Thanks in advance.

-------------------------------

The Nehor said:

Now I take care to keep precise records of all my contract activities for tax reasons and keep all my business expenses separate.

Exactly. However, I understand what Liz, yourself, and Mr. Peterson are saying. But the bottom line is you all know what it is you're doing, why you're still getting PAID, and who is giving you the money... Even if the details are fuzzy.

Mr. Peterson does create, participate in, and manage Mormon apologia while being a salaried employee of the Mormon church via BYU. Whether it's hashing things out on Internet forums, or http://ispart.BYU.edu/authors/?authorID=1 he is being paid to produce this, among other things. He is a Mormon, working at a Mormon institution, receiving pay from a Mormon institution, produces Mormon apologia as a salaried employee of the Mormon church via BYU, etc etc ad nauseum...

How I see it is the reason why Mr. Scratch keeps pinging away at this issue is precisely because Mr. Peterson has lied, and continues to lie when he says he isn't paid and supported by the Mormon church to produce apologia. Sure he does some Islamic stuff, but the vast majority of his time, on the Mormon dime, is Mormon apologia. Perhaps it's a simple as Mr. Peterson feeling a little squeamish that he's an apologist first, and an Islamic scholar second... I don't know.

[_Rollo Tomasi]

Here is the link to the 1998 Form 990 (with Schedule A) filed by FARMS (the Part VIII I'm referring to is on page 12 of the 20-page document):

http://www.guidestar.org/FinDocuments/1 ... 60-1-9.pdf

Are you talking about the Schedule of Grants & Allocations or the Compensation of Officers? I don't see a "Part VIII".

I flubbed it again. It's Part VII (not VIII) of Schedule A to the 1998 Form 990 (or the 10th page of the entire 20-page document). I was never any good with Roman numerals.

[_Rollo Tomasi]

But that's not what it says on the tax form, Prof. P. Rollo kindly linked it above, why don't you take a look?

Because I really don't care what a ten-year-old IRS form says, especially as it's interpreted by Mini-Scartch (who loves me) and by you, my malevolent stalker.

Odd. We've given you a direct link to the document in question, but you refuse to even look at it? Why?

[_Rollo Tomasi]

Have you ever prepared a tax return?

Just my own.

Have you reviewed one prepared for your business or for a NFP you may be involved in?

Yes.

Are you a business person?

Yes.

Tax forms are complex.

Agreed.

Mistakes can be made. Judgment calls at times on how to treat things and answer questions.

Agreed.

You act as if someone makes an error on a tax filing they are going to jail. Your constant reference to the document being filed under oath and penalties and perjury is frankly naïve.

Perhaps, but I've always taken such an oath very seriously. I'm sure there are others who do not (even at FARMS or BYU).

I have done the best I can to explain the return to you in plausible ways based on what Dr Peterson has said here.

You have, but DCP hasn't been very helpful (he refuses to even look at the return despite the direct link given to him).

Frankly you are calling him a liar.

Not at all. I think he's just mistaken, and given that he refuses to even look at the form despite the link, I find this all very odd.

He says he did not get the money and it was paid to BYU. I showed the requirement that when such payments for a chairman's time is paid to another organization it is REQUIRED TO BE LISTED AS PAID TO THE CHAIRMAN.

You've simply shown it to be possible, not that it necessarily occurred in this case.

You are hanging your hat on one question. You think this is simple?

I'm simply 'hanging my hat' on what is stated in the Form 990 in question.

Well lo and behold!! BYU is a 501(c)(3)! Thus it does not fall under the requirement of Form 990 Sch A PT VII. Answering these questions no is quite fine even if FARMS paid BYU thousands and thousands because this section does noto require disclosure of such payments to 501(c)(3)'s of which BYU is one.

I agree with you. Thus, I agree that Part VII appears to be correctly filled out.

I submit now that assuming we can trust Dr Peterson he did not get the money directly, it was paid to BYU and the Form 990 is prepared correctly at least regarding this item.

DCP's $20,400 is also included in Part II, Line 25, of the Form 990 for "compensation of officers, directors, etc." in the column for "management and general." This is a category that is separate from the huge $1,033,031 figure listed for "other salaries and wages." I also found this interesting: unlike some of the other board members, the schedule with comp to directors does not list DCP's BYU address (in fact, I saw no mention anywhere in the Form 990 of his connection to BYU), but some other address (perhaps his home) in Orem. I know you are trying very hard to back up DCP's claim, but so far I've seen no evidence in the Form 990 to support your supposition. The Form 990 says what it says, and how can DCP really dispute it when he refuses to even look at it?