 |
Welcome to the
Connecticut
Elks Association
Government
Relations Committee Page
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
State of Connecticut
Find Representative, Senator and Congressperson |
|
Courtesy of
www.cga.ct.gov |
|
Click on the logo to find your
Representative, Senator and Congressperson |
| |
| GOVERNMENT RELATIONS
NEWS |
|
|
Property Tax Exemption Bills Need
Our Support
By Gaetano
‘Buddy’ Patrizzi, PSP
|
As I
stated at the mid-year convention, there is legislation being
introduced in the current legislative session, to exempt our lodges
from property taxes. As I explained, it was strongly recommended by
the co-sponsors of the bill that we contact our local Senator's
and/or Representative's in our respective districts and ask them to
support the bill.
Currently, there are companion bills being referred to the Joint
Committee on Finance, Revenue, and Bonding. They are,
H.B. No. 5540 – An Act Concerning The Property Tax Status Of
Connecticut Elks Lodges, and
H.B. No. 5717 – An Act Concerning A Property Tax Exemption For Elks
Lodges. They may be combined into one bill to present to the
legislative body.
If you
do not already know who your Senator or Representative is in your
district, you can go to the ‘CTGov’
website, click on ‘legislature’, then click on ‘Senate or House’
and then ‘members’ in each chamber. Each group is listed with the
name and district of each member of the chamber, or via the link
below you can search by your address! It is important that every
Lodge member contact as many legislators as possible requesting
their support of this legislation.
Our
opportunity is at hand, but we need the support of the members of
our organization to follow thru locally in getting their local
members of the state legislature on board with the co-sponsors of
the bill.
|
CALL, WRITE OR EMAIL YOUR
LEGISLATOR TODAY
AND ASK THEM TO SUPPORT
THIS LEGISLATION!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1099 Reporting Requirement Update
By Robert Ferone Sr. PER, State
Government Relations Chairman
|
The IRS 1099 requirement overwhelmingly passed the House and
Senate and the bills are now before the Joint Conference
Committee for resolution of the bill differences. The
Elks of Connecticut need to contact by LETTERS, House and
Senate members asking that they support Joint Conference
Committee reports HR 47 and S 223, as it pertains to our
1099 repeal amendment.
Had the 1099 bill been enacted, all subordinate lodges would
have been required to complete the following forms.
All companies (lodges) with a tax exempt status, would
have to issue a 1099 form for goods or services in
excess of $600.00. Examples: utility bills, trash
pick-up, plumbing or electrical repairs, office
supplies, phone company and liquor supply. This would be
for all services obtained in a calendar year.
Small Business Job Act: payments for property; rental
property of a lodge in excess of $600 per-calendar-year
requires a 1099 filing.
W-9's issued to vendors to maintain information for
reporting on 1099's, including name, address, TIN, etc.
Credit Card transactions for all payments would be
exempt from 1099 requirements, but credit card companies
would substantially increase fee use.
I urge all lodges in Connecticut to respond to requests to
contact your Legislators and make known your support, or
disapproval of legislation. It takes only a few minutes to
go on line and make your feelings known. Past State
President Buddy Patrizzi has requested lodges contact your
representatives and show support for the property tax
exemption legislation now introduced in bill form. This law
effects every lodge, and would be a great benefit to
have the tax on our lodge properties exempted from payment.
It would be a tremendous loss to lose this legislation
because the law makers who vote on it, did not receive any
input from the people it would directly affect. Their
attitude will be, 'If they don't care, either do I ", when
the bill comes to a vote.
|
|
|
|
IRS Audit Help
Document
By Robert Ferone Sr. PER, State
Government Relations Chairman
|
Here is a copy of the information that was
presented to the State Chairman at the Grand Lodge Government
Relations Seminar in Oklahoma City. This information is very
valuable for every Elk lodge in the country, and I urge every Lodge
in Connecticut to download this information and become familiar with
it, or discuss it with their accountants.
All lodges are with in the realm of possibility
of having an IRS audit conducted on them, and we should all have a
heads up on what the IRS is looking for.
|
|
 |
Click
here for the PDF of this document
(Adobe Acrobat) |
|
Click
here for the PPT of this document
(Microsoft PowerPoint) |
|
|
|
|
Important
'Sign In Book' Update
By Robert Ferone Sr. PER, State
Government Relations Chairman
|
There has been
some confusion around the state over guest book sign in
requirements. Here I have listed the Connecticut
General Statute number, title of the statute, and what it
means to your Lodge.
30-23a : Guest Book requirements Under Club Permits
-
Non member guests visiting a lodge
must be
signed in as guests.
-
Members of a lodge, visiting another lodge
are
required to sign in as guests.
30-24 :
Spouses of Club Members
-
Spouses
of a lodge member shall not be considered
guests and are not required to sign the guest
book. (The statute mentions "privileges" of said
club, but for our purposes, privileges mean use of
the clubroom.)
30-24b :
Auxiliary Club Members
-
Auxiliary
Club members, who are spouses of members, or
surviving spouses of deceased members, shall not
be considered guests, and are not required to
sign the guest book. (This is for Emblem Clubs and
Does Clubs.)
Number of
Guest Books Within A lodge:
I hope this
information has provided some clarification. If you
have any questions please feel free to contact me and my
information is in the state directory.
|
|
| |
|
| |
| From the Mid-Year 2009 Meeting
in Naugatuck |
| Here are some of the files that were provided by the guest
speakers at the January 10, 2009 Mid-Year Meeting. All
files are in Adobe PDF format.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
IRC
501(c)(8) Fraternal Beneficiary Societies - 2004 EO CPE
Notice 1340 - Tax-Exempt Organizations and Raffle Prizes
Gaming
Publication for Tax-Exempt Organizations
Division of Special Revenue (DSR)
Application for Permit to Sell Sealed Tickets (Individual)
DSR Press Release on Poker Tournaments |
Division of Special
Revenue Contact Info
|
|
Business Address:
Division of Special Revenue
555 Russell Road
Newington, CT 06111-1523
Phone: (860) 594-0500 (Local)
Fax: (860) 594-0509 |
| |
|
Mailing Address:
Division of Special Revenue
P.O. Box 310424
Newington, CT 06131-0424
|
| |
| |
|
| From the Mid-Year 2008
Meeting |
|
There were two guest speakers at the Government Relations
seminar. They were:
Thomas J. Saadi
Assistant Attorney General
thomas.saddi@po.state.ct.us
860-808-5400
Stanley G. Burk
Supervising Agent Liquor Control Division
stanley.burk@ct.gov
860-713-6211
Here are some links to the Liquor Control for the State of
CT:
This is the page that list the
Agents and their numbers.
Click Here
This page gives the
Mission
Statement and links to permits, etc.
Click
Here
This link has the complete
Liquor
Control Act. This link includes information on Club
Permits which the Elks fall under: "Sec.
30-23. Club permits. (a) A club permit shall allow the retail
sale of alcoholic liquor to be consumed on the premises of a
club but only by members or their guests. The annual fee for a
club permit shall be two hundred forty dollars."
Click Here |
| |
|
|
Important Links:
CT.gov Portal:
www.CT.gov
State
and National Legislators:
www.vote-smart.org
SLGN Directory:
www.statelocalgov.net
Government Website: www.fedworld.gov |
|
|
|
