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Conclave to acquaint non-profit forums with tax laws
Scores participate but ‘our own’ remain blissfully unaware
WSN Bureau

SUNNYVALE: A number of senior people known for thinking minds from Board of Equalization, Employment Development Department (EDD), Franchise Tax Board (FTB) Internal Revenue Service got together at the Community Hall of Hindu Temple, Sunnyvale to discuss with representatives of non-profit organizations some key issues at a conference. Right from 9 am of May 22 till 4.30 pm in the evening, officers from various departments explained how the non-profit organizations can work while remaining within the space legally permitted and how they must contend with some tough legal provisions.  

Representatives from some 228 forums had come to participate, including many from churches, mosques, temples and other non-profit forums. It is worth mentioning that except Harjot Singh Khalsa, president of Gurdwara Sahib, Fremont, no other representative from the Bay Area Gurdwara committees attended this important conference. Most attendees and participants were from churches, mosques and temples. The seminar cum conference was organized in view of changed laws and circumstances, and stress was laid on the fact that the non-profit bodies must work as per the legal provisions. The vice chairman of the Board of Organizations Bettie T E told the World Sikh News that it was very essential for the religious organizations that they maintain accounts as per the laws governing non-profit bodies and should not lose their status as nonprofit organizations through casual handling of money matters.  

She said many non-profit organizations work under the erroneous impression that they are not liable to pay any taxes. There are many places where law is differently applied, and the non-profit organizations should acquaint themselves with the legal provisions. In response to a question asked by Hindu Temple, Sunnyvale's senior office bearer Raj Bhanot, she said the law was very tough on this score, and was also complex and tricky. As per the law penned in 1930, it is not necessary that all taxes were exempted. She said the people managing such bodies should be keeping abreast of the legal provisions and should attend such seminars. She also thanked the Hindu Temple Sunnyvale for getting together the 250 plus bodies for the cause and arranging for breakfast and lunch. Raj Bhanot later told the World Sikh News that it was a disappointing experience also in one way as the seminar was held to benefit our own people but most of them stayed away while other communities came forward in big numbers. 

He said he had invited Punjabi communities and people connected with religious and social service bodies through emails, messages and phone calls but the response remained dismal.

28 May, 2008
 

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