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August 30, 2001 (SENT VIA CERTIFIED MAIL on September 24, 2001)
U.S. Treasury Department Internal Revenue Service RE: Civil Union spouses and tax forms Dear Director Thompson (& Acting State Treasurer Lawrence, Secretary O'Neill, Comm. Rossotti), As of July 1, 2000, the legal contract of Civil Union was initiated by the State of Vermont. This legal and binding contract allows same-sex couples the right to become each other's Civil Union spouse. The legislation enacted into law calls for the year of 2001 to be the first year that such a contract effects the area of taxation on Civil Union spouses. Many same-sex couples, as you may know, have gone to Vermont to get a license and then have that license certified through a ceremony making them Civil Union spouses. This can only remind one of similar circumstances that couples of different races had to suffer through in our nation's past. They, too, needed to go to another state since their own discriminated against them because of their race. A problem now exists for Civil Union spouses within the State of Vermont for IRS tax forms and outside the State of Vermont for both state and IRS tax forms. There is no category for Civil Union spouses to check off. The choices only address single individuals and married couples. Since Civil Union spouses are not married they cannot check off that box but neither are they single. Checking the single box would be a lie. Please advise me as to what action your office will take to remedy this situation. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, George DeCarlo |