Commission on Accountability and Policy releases their first report

It is available on their website here.

I just downloaded the report now, so haven’t had a chance to look at any of it.

Suzanne Perry provides a first look at the document in her article Religious Leaders Tell Congress No New Laws Are Needed to Curb Abuse at Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Ms. Perry mentioned several highlights, a few of which I will translate back into words familiar to the NPO community:

  • Safe harbor for executive salaries should remain
  • No limits on clergy housing and IRS forms should make existing guidance more clear
  • Oppose setting up an IRS advisory committee because there would be a perceived risk of favoritism working against anyone not represented on such a committee
  • Better guidance needed from IRS on ‘love offerings’

I’ll have more comments when I have opportunity to read the report.

Seems to me that the flash reaction from Senator Grassley isn’t particularly warm. As described in the article:

In his response to today’s report, Senator Grassley said he appreciated the need to “shut down abuse without harming the many above board organizations.” However, he added in a statement, “The report gives less attention to resolving some of the thornier questions, such as how to build accountability from entities that exploit vagueness in current laws and regulations for individual benefit rather than the greater good.”

The Commission on Accountability and Policy for Religious Organizations will have another report next year on political involvement.

My other posts on the Commission can be found on this tag. 

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