A War Tax Boycott is an effort to stop the government from funding wars by taxing American citizens. The protesters hope to collect at least 100,000 signatures by April 15, at which point they will deposit their war taxes in escrow and redirect them to humanitarian relief projects. One such project is a campaign to provide hurricane relief to those affected by Hurricane Katrina.
The National Campaign for War Tax Resistance was founded in 1981 by four pacifist groups and later expanded to over one hundred groups. The campaign requires citizens to withhold 5.5% of their taxes from their paychecks and ask their employers to refund the money. Although employers rarely refund this amount, the money is redirected to a war tax resistance fund and to various peace projects.
The Swedish group Krigsskattevagrargruppen began organizing in 1988. At that time, the government was devoting 8% of the national budget to the military. People who refused to pay these taxes must fill out a form stating that they oppose the war and want the money to go to other purposes. The group also appealed to the state to recognize their right to conscientious objection.
Many war tax resisters send a letter explaining their refusal to pay their taxes, saying that it is an act of conscience and civil disobedience. The letter may cover topics such as the economic and moral consequences of war, misappropriation of public funds, and more.