Proposed State Constitutional Amendment To Benefit The Boy Scouts Of America

    This November, West Virginia voters will be deciding whether to amend to the state’s constitution. The proposed amendment is designed to benefit nonprofit organizations that are engaged in “adventure, educational or recreational activities for young people.” It’s no secret, however, that the sole purpose of the proposed amendment is to benefit the Boy Scouts of America.

    Every four years, the Boy Scouts of America hosts its Jamboree retreat at its Summit Bechtel Reserve—a large outdoor activity park situated beside the New River Gorge in West Virginia. During the interim years, the Boy Scouts would like to rent the park to for-profit businesses. The revenue generated from the rental fees would go toward maintaining and improving the park. However, if the Boy Scouts go forward with renting out the park without the amendment, it would almost certainly lose its state tax-exempt status. The proposed amendment would ultimately allow the Boy Scouts to operate as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization while renting the park to businesses for a profit.

    Is this sound tax policy? What about other nonprofits who would like to operate in a similar manner; what makes the Boy Scouts of America so special? Would allowing the Boy Scouts of America to operate in such a way be a boon on the state’s economy, or is the state forgoing a great deal of revenue that it would otherwise be entitled to? Read more HERE.

DAB