Mariposa District 5 Supervisor Jim Allen recently received a notice from Barbara Alby of the state Board of Equalization.

The letter states, “As a county supervisor you encounter a wide variety of non-profit and faith-based organizations serving the communities we represent. Many of these organizations work hard to fill their unique missions and it is a shame to see that mission in trouble because the group unknowingly ran afoul of the state’s complex tax rules. Indeed, such organizations believe that their non-profit status means they are even exempt from sales tax.”

Supervisor Allen felt it was important to share the information to make sure all area non-profit organizations were in compliance with state laws.

The letter continued, “Would you help me make sure that the worthy organizations in your district know that the Board of Equalization has resources available to help them understand and comply with tax rules? The board’s Web site offers an online seminar that can help these groups learn about which tax laws apply to them. They can learn about the sales and use tax laws, property tax exemptions, and more by logging on to http://www.boe.ca.gov/info/VirtualSeminars/ seminars_online.htm.”

Alby also said she is available to assist organizations with compliance and she can be reached at (916) 445-2181.