The president of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce suspended all programming and said she was resigning over a tax issue that had been brewing for more than a decade. The chamber has not operated in federal tax-exempt status since 2011. But the mayor of Bellevue and some business owners said there was no reason to stop operations. Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike said the Chamber has not contacted him about the decision to suspend the show. “There’s not much communication,” Heike said. In a letter posted on the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Facebook page, President Michelle Andal said she noticed it when she filed her taxes last year. While the Chamber is currently classified as a nonprofit organization in good standing in the state, it lost its federal tax-exempt status in 2011 after failing to file the proper tax returns. But Mayor Hike said they’ve known about the problem for years. “It has come up in our board meeting. So it’s been made public,” he said. Andal hired lawyers to help resolve the issue with the IRS, but said the chamber’s tax-exempt status has not yet been restored. “I actually don’t know if the Chamber of Commerce exists now. The letter, you can read it a few different ways,” Hike said. The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce suspended all programming. Andal said the IRS has not restored the chamber’s tax-exempt status. The letter explained that this does not affect paying members, it simply determines whether the chamber will owe corporation tax on the income generated. “There are some issues, I’m not sure why. I don’t know what’s the big deal. Because they’ve accepted our employee federal taxes,” Hike said. KETV contacted several chambers of commerce. Neither Andal nor the Chamber of Commerce has contacted anyone directly. For Hike, the news will only confuse the Bellevue mayor. “I’m a business owner too. So as long as I know they’re transparent, we’ve got a problem, I mean, I’m still giving money,” he said. In his letter, Andal said the Sapi Chamber of Commerce will now provide all services to businesses and nonprofits in the Bellevue area.
The president of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce suspended all programming and said she was resigning over a tax issue that had been brewing for more than a decade.
The chamber has not operated in federal tax-exempt status since 2011.
But Bellevue’s mayor and some business owners say that’s not a reason to stop operations.
Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike said he has not been contacted by the Chamber of Commerce about the decision to suspend the show.
“There wasn’t much communication,” Schick said.
In a letter posted on the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce Facebook page, President Michelle Andal said she noticed it when she filed her taxes last year. While the Chamber is currently classified as a nonprofit organization in good standing in the state, it lost its federal tax-exempt status in 2011 after failing to file the proper tax returns.
But Mayor Hike said they’ve known about the problem for years.
“It has come up in our board meeting. So it’s public,” he said.
Andal hired lawyers to help resolve issues with the IRS, but said the chamber’s tax-exempt status has not yet been restored.
“I actually don’t know if the Chamber of Secrets exists now. This letter, you can read it in a few different ways,” Heike said.
The Bellevue Chamber of Commerce suspended all programming. Andal said the IRS has not restored the chamber’s tax-exempt status. The letter explains that it does not affect paid memberships, it simply determines whether the chamber owes corporation tax on the revenue generated.
“Something went wrong, I’m not sure why. I don’t know what’s the big deal. Because they’ve accepted our employee federal tax,” Schick said.
KETV contacted several chambers of commerce. Neither Andal nor the Chamber of Commerce has contacted anyone directly.
For Hike, the news will only confuse the mayor of Bellevue.
“I’m a business owner too. So as long as I know they’re being transparent about the issues we’re having, I mean, I’d still give money,” he said.
In his letter, Andal said the Sarpi Chamber of Commerce will now provide all services to businesses and nonprofits in the Bellevue area.