WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT TAX AND BUDGET PRIORITIES? Over the past months, nonprofits from across the country have been telling us about the adverse consequences of federal and state budget cuts. OMB Watch is issuing a call to action to nonprofits for a long-term campaign to take the offensive on tax and budget issues - a campaign about what we are for, not just what we are against. Three main elements of this campaign might include: 1) fair tax policies that provide adequate revenue, 2) support for vital government services and investments, and 3) a re-examination of the positive role of the federal government. Now we want to hear from you. We are conducting an exciting new Internet survey.

A successful campaign around tax and budget issues depends on the input and support of a variety of groups at the local, state, and national levels - from groups that work on state or federal budget and tax policy to groups that advocate around specific issues to groups who provide services. Tax and budget policy is the real reflection of our priorities as a nation, and matters to us all.

OMB Watch initially issued the call to action in the form of a paper that has benefited from the generous ideas of other, primarily nationally based, advocates. We are conducting this survey in order to get the broadest possible response to ideas about whether a long-term proactive tax and budget campaign makes sense and how to make it work.

Please complete the survey and tell others about it. It takes about 15 minutes to complete. There are three sections asking: 1) about you and your organization; 2) the extent of your current involvement in budget and tax issues; and 3) if we move forward with a long-term tax and budget offensive effort, how it might be done.

We will summarize the findings, and circulate them widely. We will be happy to send you the results if you check the box in Question 30 on the survey and give us your contact information. This is a unique opportunity for those of us in the nonprofit sector to share ideas about whether to move forward with a campaign and, if we do, how it should be done.

For questions or comments, or if you would like to speak with someone directly, please send an email to taxbudget@ombwatch.org or call OMB Watch's Ellen Taylor or John Irons at 202-234-8494.