From: spgreg@mars.lerc.nasa.gov (Greg Macrae)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Jerry's Orphans Needs You!
Date: 14 Sep 92 13:07:54 GMT
Reply-To: spgreg@mars.lerc.nasa.gov (Greg Macrae)
Organization: NASA Lewis Research Center

Index Number: 24522

In article <22431@handicap.news>, Pandora.Nigh@p0.f554.n157.z1.fidonet.org
writes...
>Index Number: 22431
>
> -=> Quoting Gary Warren to Robert Bowes V <=-
>.... Dianne Piastro, a disabled (from MS, I think)
>GW> syndicated journalist, and her stonewalled efforts to get from the
>GW> national MDA office administrative salary figures, in spite of the
>GW> fact that non-profit groups MUST make available assets and liabilities
>GW> as part of the public record.  So far, as far as I know (::ahem::),
>GW> she hasn't yet succeeeded. glw, ye olde editor and publisher
>GW> disABILITY NEWS-letter
>
>If she really wants to know all she has to do is contact IRS and
>ask to see the forms 990-PF that they have filed for what ever year
>she wants. These are the forms that are public record and IRS will
>give you copies but you will have to pay a fee for them.
>

This is from Dianne B. Piastro's article, "How does MDA spend what
you give?", dated 8-26-91.  I will quote here without permission:

I wanted to know about MDA's organization, programs, telethon
production costs, major contracts and professional fees.  My
questions are still unanswered.

Thinking that some of the information might be on MDA's IRS Form
990, which tax-exempt organizations must file each year by May 15,
unless they get an extension, I decided to try locating a copy.

<paragraph about California requirements that each office must have
a copy of the 990 available for public inspection during office
hours>

<the local office had no copy, and National would not send one
until after the telethon>

I then asked to see the 1989 forms, since they should be available
for three years in all offices.  [the local director] said the '89
forms are in storage, and she would call me when she can.  [She]
has still not made the forms available.

<another person was similarly stonewalled in Chicago>

I then learned directly from the IRS that MDA has not yet filed a
return for 1990.  Why didn't someone at MDA say so?

The state attorney general's office did, however, have the 1989
forms.  I got a copy Aug. 16.  That weekend, I found that two
attached exhibits appeared to be incomplete and one was missing.

When I called the attorney general's office on Mon., the Registrar
of Charitable Trusts confirmed that his office evidently wasn't
given the missing information, which they hadn't notice until now.

The story continues in this vein.  The comments in <> are my
summary of the paragraph.  She was able to get some information,
but not a complete listing.  To my knowldge, the situation remains
basically unchanged.

Greg
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     MacRae                  |       Friend, that open mouth
                             |     Reveals your whole interior
  spgreg@mars.lerc.nasa.gov  |         Silly hollow frog!
                             |                      -Anon.
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