[5874] in APO Printshop
Re: business cardsz
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Cat Thu Nguyen Huu)
Tue Jan 5 18:12:54 2010
Cc: Jennifer Tu <jtu@mit.edu>, apo-printshop@mit.edu
From: Cat Thu Nguyen Huu <catthu@MIT.EDU>
To: "Leonard H Tower Jr." <tower@alum.MIT.EDU>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.GSO.4.64L.1001032027430.2873@mass-toolpike.mit.edu>
Date: Tue, 5 Jan 2010 18:12:50 -0500
Hi Len,
Regarding our 501(c)3 tax exemption, can you please point out where
you were referencing to so that we can take a closer look at it? I
have the document handy for you: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p557.pdf
This came up last year through Anne's wedding job, and to quote Mitch
on a (too) old email on the matter:
> 1) The idea that we can only run jobs for charities is inconsistent
> with
> one of the major things the Printshop advertises - business cards.
> We could certainly have some policy that we'll only print business
> cards for people who work for charities, but we don't say that, and
> it'd be pretty extreme anyway, to the point of seldom running a non-
> APO
> job. And if you extend it to us printing business cards for anyone
> in the MIT community, you're in the same situation - except for
> actual
> employees of MIT, most business cards we'd print for a community
> member
> would be business cards for them in their capacity as employees of
> a commercial business, like their startup.
About (2), would you mind elaborate on how it's not applicable in this
situation?
While your opinion is insightful and highly welcomed, that doesn't
mean it is an undebatable decision or you should be the one to pass
the rejection to the customer. In fact, your email was rather rude and
I'm concerned with the customer's opinion about our service. Since
we're working on advertising and making us look good, please make an
effort on checking and achieving an internally agreed decision that
doesn't contradict what we advertise (if what Mitch said was true)
Thanks,
--Cat
On Jan 3, 2010, at 9:06 PM, Leonard H Tower Jr. wrote:
> Date: Sun, 3 Jan 2010 20:15:34 -0500 (EST)
> From: Jennifer Tu <jtu@MIT.EDU>
> To: Leonard H Tower Jr. <tower@alum.MIT.EDU>
> Cc: apo-printshop@mit.edu
> Subject: Re: business cards
>
> (1) I looked into this, and it does not appear to be a violation
> of our
> 501(c)3 tax exemption to provide the service at cost. Do you have
> a specific
> reference you could share?
>
> it's also a violation of our sales tax exemption
>
> you're wrong. my reading of the case law on this made it quite clear,
> but i don't have that info handy
>
> do you have specific references you can share?
> crystal clear. appearances can be deceiving ; - }
>
> for those who don't know, i've been a director of several non-profits,
> and have helped them get 501(c)3 status. as a director, i've been
> legally, financially, and personally liable for their behavior. i've
> read most of the IRS docs, not only section 501 of the code, regs,
> etc, but a lot of the rest (501 coves much more than just (c)3, ...)
>
> if @ cost was a criteria (it isn't) and we really don't have the
> proper accounting to even know what cost is here
>
> your (2) doesn't apply here
>
> yiLFS -len
>
> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009, Leonard H Tower Jr. wrote:
>
>> mims:
>>
>> as a charity, apo is not suppose to provide services to businesses,
>> even those run by brothers.
>>
>> it's a violation of our 501(c)3 tax exemption.
>> even if national looks the other way, mit doesn't,
>> and Alpha Chi has to use MIT's per Institute policy.
>>
>> please find somewhere else to get your cards made.
>>
>> yiLFS -len
>>
>> Date: Mon, 28 Dec 2009 20:29:05 +0000 (UTC)
>> From: "Marilyn Mims Dow, Region I Director" <mimsdow@comcast.net>
>> To: apo-printshop@mit.edu
>> Subject: business cards
>>
>> Hey there
>>
>> I am starting up a small design business and needed business
>> cards.... I know these folks at MIT with a printing press so I
>> thought I would check in.
>>
>> I am looking to do a logo and contact info on a linen cardstock
>> that is either cream or a pale granny smith apple green with a dark
>> or chocolate brown ink. I have a Jpeg logo, but I realize that you
>> are dealing in lead.
>>
>> I will be selling things at the upcoming Arisia conference on MLK
>> weekend, so if we need to do something straight text for right now
>> and work on including the graphic further down the road.
>>
>> I spoke with Matt Goldstein and Ellen Kranzer. They said the best
>> option was to email this address as a start.
>>
>> Thanks so much!
>>
>> Mims
>>
>>
>
