Flags raised on LAA tax status
Published 5:25 pm Monday, September 26, 2011
The Alabama Department of Revenue confirmed Tuesday that it has an interest in delving deeper in the Linden Athletic Association’s (LAA) nonprofit tax status but will rely on Marengo County officials to lead the charge.
Carla Snellgrove, who serves as media relations liaison for the department, said questions have surfaced regarding the organization’s tax exempt status, but local officials would be the ones to determine if the property and organization meets state guidelines.
“The local tax assessing official would examine any property that is questioned and would make the determination if it meets the qualification for exemption: used for religious, educational or charitable purposes,” she said. “Oftentimes, local assessing officials ask for the Revenue Department’s assistance in making a determination, and we would assist, if asked.”
Marengo County Revenue Commissioner Bo McAlpine said evaluating whether or not to tax the football field and the entity that owns it was not a high priority item for his office.
“I don’t know of a football field in America that pays property taxes,” he said. “It’s owned by a nonprofit and its for nonprofit. Taxing it, to me, just wouldn’t be right. It’s not been taxed since 1964.”
For more information, see Wednesday’s edition of the Demopolis Times.