When we talk about nonprofit organizations, we often think about the American Red Cross or Salvation Army, but how many people are aware that the National Football League, the National Hockey League and the PGA Tour are also listed with the Internal Revenue Service to be nonprofit?
Consider for a fact that the NFL commissioner makes almost $30 million a year, and we wonder why the NFL is listed to be tax-exempt.
Major League Baseball was also supposed to be a nonprofit, but it did not wish to have the salaries of its executives made public. I understand professional sports to be big business, but does it make sense for these tax-exempt organizations to continue not to pay their fair share, while we have provided them such a luxury tax loophole?
Our government is operating with large deficits, and with so many people living in poverty, I believe our politicians should now review the nonprofit status of these sports organizations.
However, most people have already lost confidence in Congress to do the right thing, and our representatives prefer to spend more taxpayer money to bring home the bacon for their re-election.
Richard Bernard
Portland
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