I hate to see that in print because I don't want to give anyone ideas, but 50 cents is a lot better than some of them do. It's not that we like it either. The Texas attorney general has asked the Legislature to require charities to register with the state and submit financial reports, but efforts have failed. The job of policing a charity is left up to the charity itself. Although no one keeps comparisons, many observers believe the calendar of charity events is crowded for a city of San Antonio's size.
Galas take dozens of volunteers months to organize.
Under tax law, their labor can not be considered an in-kind expense. The job carries a lot of social prestige. If the entertainment is lackluster, the food mediocre or the setting less than spectacular, it reflects poorly on the volunteer chairs and hurts the gala's reputation. People might not be so quick to come back next year. It's a conundrum for gala organizers.