By Les Conklin
It seems that every election year there are a few folks who are disappointed, frustrated, angry, sometimes all three. Unfortunately, some fall victim to the rapidly spreading CAPSLOCK Plague, the symptoms of which are fever, delirium and keying entire email messages and social media posts in capital letters. These people are unhappy because The Peak and the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association (GPPA) do not support one political candidate or another.
Why no politics?
The short answer is that The Peak is owned and published by GPPA, a 501 c(3) nonprofit charity organization. As a result there are strong restrictions that apply to its political campa ign activities. During a previous election cycle, GPPA’s attorney advised the board that steering clear of political activity is the best course of action to avoid potential issues with the IRS and GPPA’s tax-deductible status.
History
Founded in the Pinnacle Peak area of Scottsdale, Arizona in 1977, GPPA is dedicated to the preservation of the natural environment and the enhancement of quality of life in the North Scottsdale Sonoran Desert. It supports Scottsdale’s Scenic Drive, desert preservation, wildlife conservation, the arts, education, responsible development, and community service through its publications, initiatives, student grants, and by assisting local nonprofits. GPPA receives no state or federal funding. Friends of the Scenic Drive is a corps of volunteers, within the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association, that works to preserve and enhance the Desert Foothills Scenic Drive, an area landmark. Friends conducts regular litter pickup programs, and maintains Scenic Drive plant exhibits and monuments. Friends, founded in 1994 in north Scottsdale, is a division of GPPA.
The organization incorporated in 1977 as the Greater Pinnacle Peak Homeowners Association (GPPHA). GPPHA tended to shy away from political activity, with the exception of organizing Scottsdale candidate forums several years. It focused on growth-related issues, new development in north Scottsdale, community service, and The Peak. In the late 90s, after a very contentious period, several board members left and founded the Coalition of Pinnacle Peak, a homeowner/political action group, which became quite powerful in Scottsdale politics. Meanwhile In 2000, GPPHA was re-incorporated as GPPA, a 501 c (3) charity and stricter restrictions regarding political activity applied. The following text, which is quoted from the IRS website, describes those political action restrictions.
IRS Restrictions
“Under the Internal Revenue Code, all section 501(c)(3) organizations are absolutely prohibited from directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office. Contributions to political campaign funds or public statements of position (verbal or written) made on behalf of the organization in favor of or in opposition to any candidate for public office clearly violate the prohibition against political campaign activity. Violating this prohibition may result in denial or revocation of tax-exempt status and the imposition of certain excise taxes.
“Certain activities or expenditures may not be prohibited depending on the facts and circumstances. For example, certain voter education activities (including presenting public forums and publishing voter education guides) conducted in a non-partisan manner do not constitute prohibited political campaign activity. In addition, other activities intended to encourage people to participate in the electoral process, such as voter registration and get-out-the-vote drives, would not be prohibited political campaign activity if conducted in a non-partisan manner.
“On the other hand, voter education or registration activities with evidence of bias that (a) would favor one candidate over another; (b) oppose a candidate in some manner; or (c) have the effect of favoring a candidate or group of candidates, will constitute prohibited participation or intervention.”
Voluntary Campaign Sign Ban
While I’m on the subject of political campaigns, the voluntary ban on political signs on Scottsdale’s Scenic Drive was started soon after residents along the northern reaches of Scottsdale Road voted to tax themselves and voted in favor of the first, and only, resident-driven Improvement District in Scottsdale’s history. Advocacy for the district began during Mayor Herb Drinkwater’s last term. The district was finalized and completed under Mayor “Sam” Kathryn Campana. The district resulted in utility poles and lines being undergrounded from Jomax Road to Dixileta Drive on Scottsdale Road. The voluntary ban was supported by Friends of the Scenic Drive, Campana, and the entire Scottsdale City Council. Since then, Friends of the Scenic Drive merged into GPPA in 2005, the voluntary sign ban has been extended to other scenic corridors, and the mayors and city councils have continued to support the ban. Today, Friends of the Scenic Drives continues to assist the city in making political campaigns equally aware of the ban.
I hope this helps eliminate some of the political confusion. Happy Election Day 2016.
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