'Double'-Dipping At The Government Trough

Question: When is a charitable Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) not a charity?

Answer: When it is dipping from the government well not once, not twice, but four times.

Here in our little town an organization local to the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, providing mental health care to residents unable to afford such care on their own, has been less than forthcoming about its funding. In what has amounted to emotional blackmail, in my opinion, this organization has not requested funding by the taxpayers so much as demanded it.

It also doesn't help matter that the person that made a motion during town meeting, amending a budget warrant article that originally zeroed out funding for this organization was a member of a committee in the organization in question.

What was not known at the time the amendment was made and voted on was that the organization had also been receiving funding from the county as well. And where do those county funds come from? From the taxpayers of the towns that comprise the county. So in effect this organization hit up the taxpayers in our town twice.

It was said a few years ago when this funding was first requested and approved that it was the first step on a slippery slope. It turns out that statement was oh so true. Now that this non-governmental organization has gotten used to government funding to the point that their requests are really nothing more than “polite demanding”, I believe that it can no longer be considered an NGO.

Either this organization should change its charter to reflect its status, that of a government funded organization and become part of the county government, or it should stop requesting demanding funding by the taxpayers of the towns within our county. Either it is an NGO, or it is not. They can't have it both ways.

Charity is something given willingly. It is not something to be demanded.