Previously I looked into Action Greensboro but didn't find many answers. Well I took a little break and looked around for more records to search and while I'm unable to unearth any grand conspiracies, the tax returns for Action Greensboro did bring up a few more questions to which I haven't found answers.
The American Judicature Society:
"Founded in 1913, the American Judicature Society is an independent, non-partisan, membership organization working nationally to protect the integrity of the American justice system. AJS’s diverse and broadly based membership --including judges, lawyers and members of the public-- promotes fair and impartial courts through research, publications, education and advocacy for judicial reform. The work of AJS focuses primarily on judicial ethics, judicial selection, access to justice, criminal justice reform, and the jury system."
Not that the American Judicature Society is a bad thing but why did Action Greensboro Inc. donate $75,000 to AJS in 2005. The link is to Acton Greensboro's 2006 Federal Income Tax Return. And where did Action Greensboro get that money? How much money did the City of Greensboro give Action Greensboro that same year? And why is Action Greensboro donating to a non profit located in Des Moines, Iowa? Anyone?
From IRS Form 990, Part IV. Reason for Non-Private Foundation Status:
11a. "An organization that normally receives a substantial part of its support from a governmental unit or from the general public .
Section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi) (Also complete the Support Schedule in Part IV-A )"
And why a 2003 donation of $102,178 to the Inception Micro Angel Fund, LLC? I'm just askin'.
You can view all of Action Greensboro's Federal Tax returns here.
Something tells me I'm going to have to look up the tax returns of the American Judicature Society and a whole bunch more.
By the way, do you think it strange that the Bryan Foundation pays Action Greensboro to pay Grassroots Productions to hire Downtown Greensboro Inc to manage City Center Park and bill the City of Greensboro when DGI (funded by the City of Greensboro) Action Greensboro, The Greensboro Partnership, Greensboro Economic Development Alliance and Greensboro Chamber of Commerce are all one in the same?
Continue to page 36. Greensboro Economic Development Alliance, Federal Tax Returns.
AJS established a high-profile GSO presence in 2005, as reported in the media and easily findable via Google and Wikipedia.
ReplyDeleteMystery solved.
Ed wrote: "Mystery solved."
ReplyDeleteWell not quite, you haven't answered the why?
And seriously Ed, donating taxpayer dollars to wealthy lawyers and judges? Let them support their own causes.
ReplyDeleteMoney was raised from local foundations to help bring the AJS office here. It wasn't a donation to wealthy lawyers and judges, it was an economic development play that leveraged our then-new downtown law school to land a prestigious non-profit organization.
ReplyDeleteHow many jobs did it bring to Greensboro not counting the people from out of town who came here to fill those jobs?
ReplyDeleteI don't know how many jobs were created, but I'd guess not many, as not many were promised -- I think some of the payoff comes from the value to Elon Law.
ReplyDeleteBut in any case, your question has been answered: the money went to an Iowa organization to help it expand to Greensboro.
Private funds were used. And it was all well-publicized at the time.