Statement from Gian-Carl Casa, President and CEO of the CT Community Nonprofit Alliance on the Finance Committee’s consideration of proposals to eliminate sales tax exemptions for community-based nonprofits.
April 19, 2017
Contact: Patty McQueen 860-985-3533
“Nonprofits have seen a decade of budget cuts, with more pending, so we’re alarmed that lawmakers are considering a sales tax change that would over the next year take $200 million away from services like homeless shelters and food pantries. They should be looking for ways to fund services, not de-fund them.
“Nonprofits have been exempted from sales tax here and across the country for good reason: they provide services in their communities so that government doesn’t have to. Eliminating that exemption would take funds from programs for individuals with developmental disabilities, people struggling with substance abuse, victims of domestic violence, and arts and cultural programs, to name just a few.
“In January, The Alliance provided lawmakers with a constructive solution to the state’s budget woes, that would save almost $1.25 billion over the next five years and protect services by shifting more expensive state-operated human services to the nonprofit sector.
“Instead of considering new taxes that could put some of our most vital programs out of business, we urge lawmakers to consider structural changes that would protect them.”