and now there’s a video. Update > LiveSoma attended this forum and also has a story about this, read their take on it which includes comments from the missing candidates, as well as the invited ones
Here’s a bit of context for what happened tonight
Heavy security at Examiner Forum rejects Bulldog!
Film to follow. Producer/videographer Tony De Renzo
and I went to the 250 Brannan event celebrating D-6
candidates Elaine Zamora and Theresa Sparks and were
denied entry. Since it’s illegal for the half dozen
or so CBD’s who sponsored the event to use taxpayer
money (they’re tax exempt via 501 (c) 3 status … to
favor one or a group of candidates in any forum, the
meeting was illegal on its face. The video will speak for itself and Tony and I
will have it available to you tomorrow.Imagine having guards and a guest list for a public
political debate. They actually had an on duty
SF cop ready to arrest me.On the upside, they were letting candidates who
weren’t invited in. Pics with Anna Conda and
Terrance Alan and bunch of others.We shook em a bit. I’m deeply disappointed that
candidates like Jim Meko and Debra Walker are supporting
this exclusion of minority candidates.
boys and girls,
Anna Conda has a thread going on Facebook
regarding her and another 9 D-6 candidates being
shut out of a forum at 250 Brannan this evening
from 6pm til 8:30pm. It didn’t occur to me
that this might be illegal but poster, Colleen
Rivecca thinks maybe. There are at least a
half dozen groups sponsoring this including
Elaine Zamora’s North of Market CBD which I’m
certain has non-profit status (even though they
pay Elaine over $160,000 a year). She’s
invited and we aren’t? What a surprise.How do we file a complaint about this?
h.
Facebook post:
#
#
Colleen Rivecca Is Market Street Assn a 501c3 nonprofit? IRS guidelines for 501c3
nonprofits state that “voter education or registration activities with evidence of bias
that: (a) would favor one candidate over another; (b) oppose a candidate in some manner;
or (c) have the effect of favoring a candidate or group of candidates, will constitute
prohibited participation or intervention.
http://www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=141538,00.html
about an hour ago · Like
The IRS code
http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=163395,00.html
The Restriction of Political Campaign Intervention by Section 501(c)(3) Tax-Exempt Organizations
Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.
Certain activities or expenditures may not be prohibited depending on the facts and circumstances. For example, certain voter education activities (including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides) conducted in a non-partisan manner do not constitute prohibited political campaign activity. In addition, other activities intended to encourage people to participate in the electoral process, such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, would not be prohibited political campaign activity if conducted in a non-partisan manner.
On the other hand, voter education or registration activities with evidence of bias that (a) would favor one candidate over another; (b) oppose a candidate in some manner; or (c) have the effect of favoring a candidate or group of candidates, will constitute prohibited participation or intervention.
The Internal Revenue Service provides resources to exempt organizations and the public to help them understand the prohibition. As part of its examination program, the IRS also monitors whether organizations are complying with the prohibition.
simply saying ‘top candidates’ before an election is itself expressing an opinion, implicitly favoring certain candidates over others, which is not allowed for the non profits. The poster, and all those listed on it are saying which candidates are the top candidates three months before the election takes place
Here’s the flier for the event. Indeed there are numerous CBD’s as co-sponsors. All of the ones in PDF (form 990 embedded here) are tax payer funded non-profits and 501c3, the others are not. There are three charitable organizations listed as co-sponsors for the District 6 candidates forum
The Yerba Buena Community Benefits District, Market Street Association, South Beach/Mission Bay Association, Tenderloin merchants Association are not listed
Central Market Community Benefits District 990
MISSION MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED
PO BOX 40280
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94140-0280
Available 990s
No Records Found
IRS Business Master File Information
The following information comes directly from the IRS and is posted here without any changes. If information for your organization is not right, please contact IRS Customer Account Services at 1-877-829-5500 to correct it.
EIN: 940685843
Ruling Date: 06/1944
NTEE: –
ERI NTEE: X19 – SUPPORT N.E.C.
Group Exemption Number: 0000
SubSection: 06 – Business Leagues, etc.
Affiliate: 3 – Independent – This code is used if the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
Classification: 1 – Corporation
Deductibility: 2 – Contributions are not deductible.
Foundation: 00 – All organizations except 501(c)(3)
Filing Requirement: 020 – 990 – Not required to file(all other)
Activity Code(s):
200 – Business and Professional Organizations
000 –
North of Market Community Benefits District 990
SOUTH OF MARKET BUSINESS ASSOCIATION
C/O: URBAN SOLUTIONS
1083 MISSION ST 2ND FLR
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94103-2812
Available 990s
No Records Found
IRS Business Master File Information
The following information comes directly from the IRS and is posted here without any changes. If information for your organization is not right, please contact IRS Customer Account Services at 1-877-829-5500 to correct it.
EIN: 200055169
Ruling Date: 07/2003
NTEE: S41 – CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE & BUSINESS LEAGUES
ERI NTEE: S41 – CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE & BUSINESS LEAGUES
Group Exemption Number: 0000
SubSection: 06 – Business Leagues, etc.
Affiliate: 3 – Independent – This code is used if the organization is an independent organization or an independent auxiliary (i.e., not affiliated with a National, Regional, or Geographic grouping of organizations).
Classification: 5 – Association
Deductibility: 2 – Contributions are not deductible.
Foundation: 00 – All organizations except 501(c)(3)
Filing Requirement: 020 – 990 – Not required to file(all other)
Activity Code(s):
000 –
000 –
000 –
Union Square Business Improvement District 990