All posts in the topic Park Board diverted funds (Short link)
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- There are 3 posts — by 2 authors — in this topic.
- Latest post made by Chris Johnson at Aug 08 02:22 UTC
I urge list members to read Chris Steller's latest parks article "Minneapolis parks' Red Bull and Pepsi dealings put Coke contract at risk" at http://minnesotaindependent.com/view/minneapolis-park. The article includes a link to the actual MPRB-Coca Cola contract. One section of the contract requires Coke to pay $250,000 to the Foundation for Minneapolis Parks. This is not a true foundation - it's just a regular 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation. Is this even legal? I am having a hard time understanding how the Park Board can divert funds from the public sector to a private non-profit. This does not look like good government. The Foundation's 2006 audited financial statements (http://www.mplsparkfoundation.org/) show $87,724 in in-kind donations for staff, rent, and professional services. Was this Park Board staff? Were the taxpayers actually paying the salaries of employees working for a private non-profit? Minneapolis is blessed with many non-profits that have donated generously to the parks including neighborhood organizations, People for Parks, and Save the Courts Foundation. But taxpayers are not required to support these groups. There is something truly wrong when the Park Board moves resources from the public sector, where our elected officials decide how these are used and public input is allowed, to the private sector where a small group of individuals controls the resources. The Foundation for Minneapolis Parks isn't even a membership organization - the Board appoints its own directors. While I am grateful to the volunteer directors who are trying to raise funds for park purposes, it's just wrong to divert public funds to the private sector. We need a full accounting of the cash and in-kind donations the Park Board has given this non-profit and a plan for the Foundation to repay the public. Shawne FitzGerald Powderhorn <http://minnesotaindependent.com/view/minneapolis-park> >
My apologies for posting a broken link - this one should work http://www.minnesotaindependent.com/view/minneapolis-park Shawne in Powderhorn
Since the IRS is going to be scrutinizing non-profits a lot more closely -- starting this year (see Scott Russell's MinnPost article, for instance: http://www.minnpost.com/scottrussell/2008/08/05/2814/irs_seeking_more_disclosure_on_nonprofit_financial_forms or http://tinyurl.com/6e8jhq) -- perhaps the IRS will give the parks Foundation a nice audit. Then if they'd only follow-up with an audit of the Center for the American Experiment, the income tax situation in Minneapolis would be cleaned up significantly.