Measure would revoke California tax exempt status of Boy Scouts and other groups that discriminate against LGBT community
by Brian Leubitz
Sen. Ricardo Lara, Chair of the Legislative Latino Caucus in addition to being a member of the LGBT caucus, is working with a number of LGBT focused organizations to strip California tax exempt status from discriminatory groups:
The Youth Equality Act, sponsored by Sen. Ricardo Lara, D-Long Beach, would deny tax-exempt status to youth groups that discriminate on the basis of gender identity, race, sexual orientation, nationality, religion or religious affiliation.
That means those groups would have to pay corporate taxes on donations, membership dues, camp fees and other sources of income, as well as sales taxes on food, beverages and homemade items sold at fundraisers.(Lisa Leff/HuffPo)
The Boy Scouts cite the many good things they do, which are many, as a reason to keep their tax exempt status. But apparently, those good things don’t apply to gay teens.
This bill, which is the first of its kind in the nation, has a long way to go, but with the partisan breakdown of the Legislature, the biggest question is what Gov. Brown will do with it. Of course, the Boy Scouts could just end their discrimination, and not have to worry about the bill at all. Their is talk of a resolution that would end the discrimination, but no official proposal has been released.
Is it always about “the struggle”? Is this really what the State of California needs? Is the legislation “mean-spirited” and foster “intolerance”? Is it even constitutional?
I’m concerned that this is poor legislation and there may be unintended consequences. Will the Girl Scouts now have to send some of their cookie sale profits to the State Treasury? What about the Downey elementary school that won’t let Jeremy play Cinderella in the school play? Is the Director to be stoned? Will the Girls Softball leagues now have to let boys play based on “gender identity”?
Fundamentally, I think the issue is career politicians- like Ricardo Lara- who are at best, “tweekers” and at worst, vengeful, few-issue bullies. Look at his website, http://sd33.senate.ca.gov/news
What legislation is he proud of? Let’s rview his recent press releases…… disparities in health access for autistic children, the legacy of Cesar Chavez (wait, that’s his statement, not legislation), Prop 8 SCOTUS oral arguements (wait, another statement, not legislation), workers compensation pharmaceutical claims processing (eliminating the requirement that a copy of the Rx be provided) and the celebration of his election (wait… a self-serving statement, not legislation).
Let’s aim high and get good public policy rather than it always being about marginal improvements and “the struggle”. Please.
Both my daughters were Girl Scouts
They didn’t ‘discriminate’ against the LGBT community
I doubt that the current Scouts do
This kind of initiative is what gives Demagougery such a bad name
Why not do something useful, instead