Blog It’s Your Last Chance to Enter the Raffle to Win a Tesla

[Pollux]

EDITOR'S NOTE: This is a sponsored post from non-profit organization Climate XChange, an educational and research group dedicated to providing policymakers and advocates with cutting edge information on market-based solutions to climate change.

On the third floor of 200 year old Old West Church in Boston, Massachusetts, the five person staff of Climate XChange types away on their computers, occasionally climbing up to the bell tower to make phone calls. It’s a quirky workplace, but the small team enjoys the garden out front, and the close proximity to the State House suits them well.

Day in and day out, the group works alongside the Campaign for a Clean Energy Future to put a price on carbon pollution in Massachusetts. Carbon pricing is proven to be an effective tool for both combating climate change and stimulating the economy, and Climate XChange is determined to pass this legislation. This past month has been quite a busy one for them, after playing a key role in organizing 200 people to meet with 50 different legislators at the State House, and a week later helping bring more than 400 supporters to the hearing on carbon pricing legislation.

It’s a big lift for a small team, but the hard work is paying off. The campaign to put a price on carbon in Massachusetts now has unprecedented momentum, and Climate XChange is working to spread the policy to other states as well. Earlier this year, the group launched the State Carbon Pricing Network, which provides resources, research, and guidance to states across the country looking to start or build carbon pricing campaigns.

So why is this relevant to Tesla Motors Club? To fund this important climate change-fighting work, Climate XChange is pulling off perhaps their biggest project yet: raffling off a Tesla. The grand prize winner gets their choice of a built-to-order Model S or X. On top of the $120,000 vehicle, Climate XChange pays the $40,000 of federal income taxes so you don’t have to, bringing the grand prize to a whopping $160,000 value. Not bad, right?

And if you’re the lucky winner, you get the bonus prize of a 3 day stay at the beautiful Great Pines Resort in the Adirondacks. You can relax by the lake while you charge your new electric vehicle. Even if your name isn’t drawn at the fateful moment, you still have a chance at walking away with one of the other five prizes. Second and third place prizes are a Model 3 reservation plus a $10,000 and $5,000 check, respectively, and the remaining three winners receive a cash prize.

Tickets are just $250 apiece, but sales are closing soon. The winners will be drawn on July 4th at Old West Church in Boston. If you can’t make it, you can catch the livestream at 7:30pm EDT (details on the their website).

Regardless of who wins, ticket holders are helping push pivotal climate change legislation forward at a key moment in history. With federal climate protections unraveling, state action has never been more important, and carbon pricing is an effective policy that both sides of the aisle can agree on. To pitch in the fight, get your ticket at carbonraffle.org.

Photo credit: Bill Ravanesi
[WPURI="https://teslamotorsclub.com/blog/2017/06/29/its-your-last-chance-to-enter-the-raffle-to-win-a-tesla/"]READ FULL ARTICLE[/WPURI]

 

[Pollux]

I am completely unreasonably excited that Climate XChange has made a blog post here on TMC! I guess this is a new feature on TMC and we are happy to have the opportunity to take advantage of it.

Now, look... I know I know the post says "Pollux" on it... but think about it... look how professional it looks... and then there's the lack of run-on sentences. The failure to use comma splices. Any number of idiosyncratic grammatical, writing and logic errors that uniquely mark my posts.

No one really thinks I wrote it, do they?

I think it was Jamie who wrote it but it's too late tonight to ask. That's a question for tomorrow.

They just didn't know whose name to stick on it so they used mine.

I just drive my P100D and smile. And look forward to three more people getting their butts into Teslas at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 4, just before the fireworks and the Boston Pops play on the Esplanade.

Alan

 

[Pollux]

The campaign to put a price on carbon in Massachusetts now has unprecedented momentum, and Climate XChange is working to spread the policy to other states as well. Earlier this year, the group launched the State Carbon Pricing Network, which provides resources, research, and guidance to states across the country looking to start or build carbon pricing campaigns.

So true. For example, Jessica has come together with a dozen people to push carbon pricing legislation in Maryland. Two legislators have offered to sponsor carbon pricing bills next session. Anyone interested in joining that effort?

Click on the link, other states are active.

Even if your name isn’t drawn at the fateful moment, you still have a chance at walking away with one of the other five prizes. Second and third place prizes are a Model 3 reservation plus a $10,000 and $5,000 check, respectively, and the remaining three winners receive a cash prize.

Important: these are early reservations, meaning you'll be mixed in with the batch of first-morning folks somehow. Tesla ultimately controls the delivery date, of course. But if you have a 150,000-level, 250,000-level, etc., reservation, you could wind up using ours instead of yours. And if you don't yet have a reservation, well... We can't guarantee it, but it seems likely that a 2nd or 3rd prize winner will receive their vehicle in plenty of time to still qualify for the $7,500 federal income tax credit.

AND for both 2nd and 3rd, we ALSO pay the federal income tax withholding payment (which is $3,666 for 2nd and $2,000 for 3rd).

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Doc Savage]

I have been procrastinating for weeks, but this afternoon, I chipped in to the pot. You now have another Louisiana entry. The idea of the Adirondacks sounds quite appealing down here in the sunny south with the humidity hovering in the 90's, along with the temperatures.

 

[ckessel]

Is this a tax deductible donation (assuming I don't win anything)? I go to a couple charity auction things each year and with those the money spent is tax deductible if it exceeds the value of whatever items, if any, you win.

Edit: Nevermind, found a page somewhere saying the IRS doesn't consider raffle tickets as tax deductible.

 

[mrongey]

I'm about to pull the trigger and buy a ticket. Are there any more details about the Great Pines Resort stay? I don't see anything about it on the website yet.

 

[jbcarioca]

I finally bought a few tickets. Despite the non-tax deductible status the cause is excellent, in my estimation, and the chance of winning a Tesla is even better, Since I've never won anything the real motivation is to help fight for a carbon tax in MA, a good initial step towards a nationwide move.

 

[Thomas Edison]

Just got #222x if anyone was looking for a ticket count update

 

[Pollux]

I have been procrastinating for weeks, but this afternoon, I chipped in to the pot. You now have another Louisiana entry. The idea of the Adirondacks sounds quite appealing down here in the sunny south with the humidity hovering in the 90's, along with the temperatures.

Louisiana!! You're not going to believe this, but Louisiana is like the mythical land of magical EV incentives to me! Louisiana!!! You people have some kind of $6500-$9500 state tax credit *in addition to* the $7,500 federal tax credit! I don't really understand how it works -- could you please educate me?

Also, where are my manners: I meant to say, THANKS!! YOU get a chance at one of three Teslas (Grand Prize in whole, 2nd & 3rd we help you get the 3s earlier than you might have otherwise, and then there's cash, and federal income tax withholding payments for all!) and also the three cash prizes... and WE get some operating dollars to write reports, engage with legislators, participate in legislation, rouse grassroots support, and generally push push push for first-in-the-nation carbon pricing. Thank you!!

Alan

 

[Pollux]

Is this a tax deductible donation (assuming I don't win anything)? I go to a couple charity auction things each year and with those the money spent is tax deductible if it exceeds the value of whatever items, if any, you win.

Edit: Nevermind, found a page somewhere saying the IRS doesn't consider raffle tickets as tax deductible.

Hi, @ckessel! I regret to report that raffle tickets are NOT repeat NOT tax-deductible. I dunno about the charity auction things but I do know about the raffle situation. Dammit, I don't have my notes handy to cite the actual ... wait a minute... no, those are my notes about the tax obligations of the sponsoring organization for a raffle. OK, so bottom line is that a raffle ticket purchases something of value: the chance to win a prize. Therefore, the IRS takes the position that nothing about the raffle ticket is tax deductible. If you really push me on this, I'll go find the chapter and verse on it, as I'm already a little annoyed with myself that I can't find it in my notes.

Ah, damn, I finally read the last sentence of your post (the edit). Well, this post is still more useful than my typical post on TMC, so I'll let it go out.

 

[Pollux]

I'm about to pull the trigger and buy a ticket. Are there any more details about the Great Pines Resort stay? I don't see anything about it on the website yet.

We are swamped (sorry!) and haven't updated the website. Grand Prize winner will get the stay even if the Grand Prize winner turns out not to know s/he is getting more Grand Prize than first thought!

I just trawled my email and found this link: Great Pines - The Adirondacks - Old Forge NY - 4th Lake

I just went and did a little research: stay up to 3 nights PLUS a fabulous dinner at the resort itself.

Alan

 

[Pollux]

I'm about to pull the trigger and buy a ticket. Are there any more details about the Great Pines Resort stay? I don't see anything about it on the website yet.

P.S. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. While I'm embarrassed that I didn't have the details at my fingertips, and that I can't find the information on our website, we will update the website ASAP. Because of: you!

Thanks again,
Alan

 

[Pollux]

I finally bought a few tickets. Despite the non-tax deductible status the cause is excellent, in my estimation, and the chance of winning a Tesla is even better, Since I've never won anything the real motivation is to help fight for a carbon tax in MA, a good initial step towards a nationwide move.

THANK YOU, @jbcarioca. Every time I see your handle, I think, "Carioca, Fletch"... not sure that'd ring any bells with you.

I'm a capitalist. Put a price on it. Then step back.

Thank you, kind sir!

Alan

 

[Pollux]

Just got #222x if anyone was looking for a ticket count update

I ain't counting.

Not. :-(

BTW, you can go to the website and find this "ticket speedometer" and embed it wherever you like:

 

[jbcarioca]

THANK YOU, @jbcarioca. Every time I see your handle, I think, "Carioca, Fletch"... not sure that'd ring any bells with you.

.../QUOTE]
I never heard of it until now, and did not know what it was until I Googled it just now. Although I've spent time in Bahia and am a Carioca, we actually make it a usual point to leave the country during Carnival and I have never ben to a bloco. Still I can easily imagine the allusion. For what it's worth jb refers to Jardim Botanico- the barrio in which I live and Carioca is of course a denizen of Rio de Janeiro. That in case anybody cares.

More to the point- let's get that carbon tax implemented!

 

[mrongey]

P.S. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. While I'm embarrassed that I didn't have the details at my fingertips, and that I can't find the information on our website, we will update the website ASAP. Because of: you!

Thanks again,
Alan

Thanks, I bought my ticket a few hours ago. I have to admit, when I first saw the raffle I was selfishly hoping you would only sell around 1500 tickets, but after researching more about your organization I'm glad it looks like you'll sell out. Your communication throughout the process has also been stellar!

 

[Pollux]

Thank you, @mrongey & @jbcarioca. And for the kind words, @mrongey!

Yeah... we're at 2280 right now. The ticket odometer is edging out of the yellow and into the green. Hard to know what the weekend will bring... I can imagine selling almost no more tickets between now and closing, July 4 @ 2 pm; or selling out early. At least for me, it's still a nail-biter.

I hope everyone has a great, long 4th of July weekend! Yeah, I'll still be doing raffle stuff straight through until about 11 p.m. Tuesday night. But it's totally worth it. I'm looking forward to a great Drawing and making July 4th an extra-special day to remember for many people!

And if you or anyone reading this thread can come join us in Boston for the BBQ July 4th @ 5:30 and then the Drawing @ 7:30 followed by walking down to the Esplanade to watch the fireworks and hear the Boston Pops... please do! You don't even have to have a ticket -- BUT PLEASE RSVP through the raffle website (carbonraffle.org). We need to know headcount to plan food & drink.

Let's all remember on Tuesday that we live in a great country, that we help make and maintain; that sometimes we do our best collectively when we compete and other times we do our best when we cooperate; that all around us are people of great neighborliness, good will and an instinct for civility; and that yelling at each other, listening to each other and eventually compromising are all part of the great American experiment, dating all the way back to our Constitution and its creation and its own compromises. I find as I age that I become increasingly admiring of our country -- patriotic, even. It's why our raffle materials this year have the American flag and fireworks superimposed on a Tesla Model S with dawn breaking over the world in the background. We do not have to have identical conceptions of what is best to share deep feelings for our country and our fellow people. We can acknowledge our deeply flawed past and the challenges of our present day while still striving for the ideals and aspirations first set forth almost 250 years ago.

Or just ignore my sententious BS. I'm just a simple raffle boy, trying to jump above my station. I do like the 4th of July, though.

Alan

 

[Pollux]

Well... if you feel like it.... I suppose you could mosey on over to here.

 

[PeterK]

Hi all, I'm Pollux's partner on organizing and managing Climate XChange's 2017 Carbon Pricing Awareness Raffle (CPAR). Thank you for participating last year.

Just a quick post to let those of you who were watching this thread know that we are now actively planning for the 2018 CPAR, to be launched in September with end of year (or probably very early beginning of 2019) drawing. I will create a new thread soon and link from here.

And thanks in advance for your support this year!

Peter

 

[PeterK]

We're soliciting feedback and improvement ideas for the 2018 raffle here: The Perfect Tesla Raffle Thank you in advance!