From the Times Ledger: Some Queens state legislators said using campaign funds to donate money to struggling local nonprofits is not necessarily a good practice — even though campaign records indicate many engage in the activity.
“Technically, it’s probably not a good idea to use campaign funds to fund nonprofit groups,” said state Sen. Tony Avella (D-Bayside). “But on the other hand, we’re desperate.”
He said nonprofits have been hit hard financially since the downturn of the economy left less for people to donate and a 2010 ban on member-item spending in Albany gave state legislators few other ways to help out.
He said a number of nonprofits who do important work in their local communities are desperate for funds and are in danger of shuttering their doors.
“Something’s clearly got to be done,” he said. “You can’t fault anybody for trying to fill in the void as best we can.”
Sen. Toby Stavisky (D-Whitestone) also agreed that nonprofits have been hurt from the lack of discretionary money and she did not think donating to a nonprofit is an abuse of campaign funds.
But she said making the connection between donating to a nonprofit and furthering a political campaign in many cases is difficult.
“I don’t think that’s the purpose of campaign funds, quite frankly,” she said.
An official at the state Board of Elections said contributions received by candidates may be expended for any lawful purpose as long as it is not for personal use or the charitable organization is not connected to the public official through a family member.
10 comments:
Bull shit makes the flowers grow...
and Toby Stavisky grows them row by row!
The Stav's long existing North Flushing Senior Center has gotten mega money through them for years and years!
Is it a sham for vote getting?
Those seniors have to PAY for their own lunches there.
The feds ought to be looking into not for profits with some very political connections such as these!
well, they could always write a personal check.
I'm not making much of a profit these days.
How about throwing some discretionary funds my way.
My "middle class" paycheck
hasn't been bringing home the bacon that it used to.
Maybe if I set up a 501 C (3)
and beg Democratic lawmakers for some money.
Maybe I should vote Republican.
Dan Halloran has been promising to help me.
Halloran ? LOL!
He's been helping himself to more than food and drink.
You won't get $3 from a goofy "Republican" like him...
because he ain't no real Republican.
He's a libertarian who doesn't believe in government responsibility.
We all know who has plenty of money and access to resources.
They provide the pols with photo ops and good press
(Program quality? Incidental - which goes a long way explaining the cultural wasteland of Queens stuck somewhere in 1950s)
It would be nice if there was a general call to the non-profits that are getting cheated (yes, THAT'S really the word to use) but everyone in Queens is so passive and frightened that it would get nowhere.
In Queens is soooo much easier to complain then to have the backbone to actually do something.
Jimmy No Brainer, Cultural Czar of City Council, gives tons of money to places like PS1, et al that have plenty of money and plenty of sources of money but just don't seem to do the programming to get it on their own.
Meanwhile he cuts back on children programs at Queens Bridge. Gives the little tykes HUNDREDS of bike helmets though.
Sort of explains while the next generation is growing up stupid.
PS 1 is part of MOMA. They don't need funding.
Van No Brainer...
wadda ya doing for the Steinway Mansion?
Maybe Councilman Jimmy should be pushing NYC to buy it. It's a bargain and it's a New York treasure.
Van Bramer sucks without a doubt, but the Steinway Mansion is in the Kingdom of Vallone.
Why don't you ask the crown prince - Peter the Merciless, Junior - about his lack of follow-through on making that stately building a museum?
The Steinway mansion
should be EVERYBODY'S concern.
Van No Brainer doesn't get off the hook that easily!
Even councilman Jimmy should be taking a lead in developing and promoting it as a cultural resource...
as should ALL other Queens pols, but they won't.
That's why Queens is a culturally bereft borough.
As far as Count Vallone, the vampire, goes
(I wouldn't exactly call him a king)
Pete junior has sucked enough out of Queens.
It's time for that political mafia family to give back something substantial to the borough.
And where does the Queens Historical Society stand on the issue of this most important historical site?
They're way out east...kissing Asian ass with useless exhibits pandering to a group that rarely gives a
lychee or a dime to QHS.
Too many "olde tymers"
still control the "bored" of "toastees" at QHS.
Do you know that NYC pays its utility bills because Kingsland house sits on a foundation that NYC legally owns in a city park?
They always cry "poverty".
It's their programs that are impoverished.
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