logo
book Subscribe to our Magazine
    • Magazine
    • Membership
    • Donate
  • Racial Justice
  • Economic Justice
  • Climate Justice
  • Health Justice
  • Leadership
    • Grassroots Fundraising Journal
  • CONTENT TYPES
  • Podcasts
    • Tiny Spark
    • Women of Color in Power
  • Webinars
    • Free Webinars
    • Premium On-Demand Webinars
  • Membership

Nonprofit Newswire | Voters Support Nonprofits with Ballot Measure

Rick Cohen
May 13, 2010
Share
Tweet
Share
Email
Print

May 11, 2010; Source: Omaha World Herald | Just when we were getting to be a little depressed at all of the local and state government attacks on nonprofits due to their tax exempt status, we found a positive nonprofit headline, thanks to voters in Nebraska. Although it failed at least twice before, a ballot measure amending the state’s constitution to allow municipal and county governments to issue tax exempt bonds on behalf of nonprofit organizations passed by the slim margin of 52 percent to 48 percent.

The financing would help nonprofits on construction projects and equipment purchases wherever the nonprofits might be located, as opposed to current state law that permits tax exempt bond financing for nonprofit hospitals, private colleges, and other nonprofit projects only in officially designated blighted areas.

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the NPQ newsletter to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.

So why did this ballot initiative fail in the past? Taxpayers and governments are not on the hook for the bonds. Benefiting from tax exempt bond interest rates, the nonprofit is obliged to pay the bonds back, and if it fails to do so, it’s the bondholders who bear the losses. No taxpayer moneys would be involved much less at risk. Let’s hope that this ballot measure starts a voter trend in favor of helping nonprofits, not trying to find ways of eking nickels and dimes out of public charities.—Rick Cohen

Share
Tweet
Share
Email
Print
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rick Cohen

Rick joined NPQ in 2006, after almost eight years as the executive director of the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP). Before that he played various roles as a community worker and advisor to others doing community work. He also worked in government. Cohen pursued investigative and analytical articles, advocated for increased philanthropic giving and access for disenfranchised constituencies, and promoted increased philanthropic and nonprofit accountability.

More about: Nonprofit News

Become a member

Support independent journalism and knowledge creation for civil society. Become a member of Nonprofit Quarterly.

Members receive unlimited access to our archived and upcoming digital content. NPQ is the leading journal in the nonprofit sector written by social change experts. Gain access to our exclusive library of online courses led by thought leaders and educators providing contextualized information to help nonprofit practitioners make sense of changing conditions and improve infra-structure in their organizations.

Join Today
logo logo logo logo logo
See comments

NPQ_Spring_2022

You might also like
Moving the Mountain: A Conversation about Pro-Blackness with Cyndi Suarez, Liz Derias, and Kad Smith
Cyndi Suarez, Liz Derias and Kad Smith
Apocalypse Now: Building Solidarity in Crisis Times
Ronnie Galvin
Building a Solidarity Culture
Rithika Ramamurthy and Steve Dubb
Wealth Stripping by Design: The Impact of Predatory Lenders in Memphis
Steve Dubb
What Is the Nonprofit Sector of a Future, Equitable World?
Devon Kearney
What It Looks Like to Build a Pro-Black Organization
Liz Derias and Kad Smith

Upcoming Webinars

May 11 & 12, 2 pm ET

Mastering QuickBooks 2022

The How-to Clinic for Nonprofit Bookkeepers for Online QuickBooks Users

Register
You might also like
AOC’s “Tax the Rich” Dress Dazzles Met Gala, while...
Anastasia Reesa Tomkin
Foundation Giving Numbers for 2020 Show 15 Percent Increase
Steve Dubb
Strike MoMA Imagines Art Museums without Billionaires
Tessa Crisman
WOMEN OF COLOR IN POWER
Women of Color in Power

Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Subscribe
Rep. Ayanna Pressley and Authentic Leadership
Reclaiming Interrupted Lineages

Like what you see?

Subscribe to the NPQ newsletter to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of use, and to receive messages from NPQ and our partners.

Independent & in your mailbox.

Subscribe today and get a full year of NPQ for just $59.

subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
  • Submissions
  • Advertisers
  • Newsletters
  • Copyright

Subscribe to View Webinars

We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website.

 

Non Profit News | Nonprofit Quarterly
Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.