You are correct: I should have written, "Mrs. Contosta or me."
My article makes four different observations of fact, none of which
Stalberg disputed. One is that Committee of 70 does not comply with the
Better Business Bureau's recommendations for nonprofit charities, which
should publish their annual budget and latest tax return on their
website. The second is that its tax filings on GuideStar were extremely
late when the article was written. The third is that the Pennsylvania
Dept. of State reported standard measures based on 70's 2008 return. The
fourth is that by three important measures, 70 had been underspending on
mission and overspending on housekeeping functions -- all warning signs
when evaluating a nonprofit.
The numbers I reported for 2008 were taken directly from the Dept. of
State website at that time. We still cannot see 70's 2009 tax return or
its 2010 budget on its website. These are not violations of law but of
good form.
If the Committee of 70 were in the business of running festivals or
schools or clinics, one might worry less about such form. But this
body's /main business is to advise how other bodies should conduct
public business. /That's what your charity dollar goes to buy with them.
So it's disconcerting that it doesn't take the advice of independent,
reputable bodies which perform the same service for 70's own realm --
the nonprofit biz. It judges -- but it will not be judged.
Read the original story at http://www.phillyrecord.com/?p=963. And happy
Thanksgiving everyone, although it may be a happier one if you've got
better things to do.
-- Tony West
"On 11/25/2010 8:33 AM, Glenn wrote:
From the text, Mr West has tried to equate the broad recommendations
(averages) from some ngo/think tank as if they were law. He appears
to be using the ratios in their guidelines to make a case that the
Commiittee is avoiding transparency requirements in their operations.
His evidence does not address or prove a lack of transparency. It's
nonsense. It's the usual fallacious arguing tricks we've come to know
so well on this list.
The committee of seventy seems to have openly given its budget numbers
to the Weekly Press showing no desire to avoid transparency. They
simply assert that Mr. West got his facts wrong on what appears to be
an attack, such as destroyed the innocent and excellent group Acorn
(proven to have been innocent of all fake journalism charges)
