Been thinking about how good Non-profits Organizations have it regardless of the economic situation. It seems wrong that some NPOs continue to receive government subsidies regardless. The private sector tightens the belt, NPOs open their belts. It's easy being a liberal. Spending other folk's money to, ahem... better society. On the other hand, it’s pretty tough being a liberal and having to spend your own money. Better still, is being liberal and a recipient.
In the world of NPOs, government largess (in the form of cash or tax treatment) is critical to their existence. No government subsidies, no NPO.
It's pretty hard nowadays to justify giving NPOs money when government entities are hard pressed to keep essential services properly functioning. Especially if the NPO doesn't provide an essential service. The root of the problem is the politician looking to leave a legacy - at the taxpayers’ expense of course - by sponsoring some money wasting project.
It's pretty hard nowadays to justify giving NPOs money when government entities are hard pressed to keep essential services properly functioning. Especially if the NPO doesn't provide an essential service. The root of the problem is the politician looking to leave a legacy - at the taxpayers’ expense of course - by sponsoring some money wasting project.
So welcome to Worcester, MA a bastion for NPOs. Worcester is loaded with every conceivable type of NPO - some 1,083 of em recognized by the IRS. One thousand eighty three - whew! Now that's sumptin, considering there are about 3,400 registered corporations in the city.
Each NPO has an agenda whose recipients are not necessarily the poor and needy. It depends what it's organized to do. Most NPOs aren't intended to benefit society as a whole, but a small circle of friends who enjoy the fruits of NPO largess- cushy jobs, no accountability etc.
Each NPO has an agenda whose recipients are not necessarily the poor and needy. It depends what it's organized to do. Most NPOs aren't intended to benefit society as a whole, but a small circle of friends who enjoy the fruits of NPO largess- cushy jobs, no accountability etc.
One Wusta based non-profit popped up on our radar screen, because it’s been living off government largess for decades and done nothing to improve the local taxpayer’s existence, but it sure has benefited a handful of locals. Its moniker - WCCA, Worcester Community Cable Access.
WCCA's director, Mauro DePasquale, recently made a statement that WCCA does not receive taxpayer dollars. Reality takes many forms, denial is one of them. The fact is, WCCA’s funding comes from the City, which comes from the local cable operator in the form of fees (an insidious term used instead of tax) it charges local cable subscribers who have no choice (as with taxes ) as to whether they want to pay it. WCCA’s sole source of funding is from the City of Worcester with whom it has a contract to deliver programming. That my friends is called government largess with few strings attached.
A million dollars a year. Serious money, especially in these hard economic times. With the City scrambling for every penny and threatening to layoff workers to make ends meet, a million bucks could be used for more important things, like teacher, firefighter, and police salaries. Opps! I take that back, the WPD is doing quite well thank you. According to a recent T&G article, the WPD is literally raking in the bucks. They've got sources of income that our politicians (past & present) have guaranteed by enacting laws that legally let's them milk the tax payers. Listen kids, if you’re in need of a career, law enforcement is the way to go - there’s gold in them thar Seven Hills.
But a million bucks for TV programming? As a cable subscriber with literally dozens of TV channels to choose from, not to mention the freebies on the Internet, how can WCCA compete for your attention? The fact is, it doesn’t have to. Better said, why should it? The money's already been pocketed.
To be continued...
