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Public commenters raise IRS complaint against county visitor bureau; organizers promote 'New California' initiative
Summary
Public speakers during the July 22 public‑comment period urged recognition of probation staff, described local community activity, and one speaker said he had submitted a complaint to the IRS alleging misuse of tax‑exempt status by the Calaveras Visitors Bureau (CVB). Another speaker promoted the New California State initiative.
At the July 22 public‑comment period several speakers addressed local government and civic issues. Comments ranged from praise for probation and search‑and‑rescue volunteers to a speaker who said he had filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service alleging improper use of tax‑exempt status by the Calaveras Visitors Bureau.
Christopher Butner, identified in the record as the publisher of calaveras2026election.com, told the board he had “submitted to the IRS seeking an investigation” and alleged the CVB had misrepresented its nonprofit classification, saying the organization is a mutual‑benefit 501(c)(6) but had “persistently and willfully misrepresented its legal designation as being a public benefit nonprofit” to the county and to the City of Angels Camp. Butner said the CVB receives approximately 90% of its operating funding from transient occupancy tax funds allocated by the county and city and that he had asked the IRS to investigate whether donors were misled about tax deductibility.
Earlier in the public‑comment period Terry McBride identified themselves as chair of a local New California State committee and reported on recent community polling and upcoming events, urging the board and residents to review a proposed constitution produced by the group.
Other public comments included praise for probation services and for search‑and‑rescue volunteers’ recent work. No formal board action was taken in response to these public comments; the speakers’ remarks were entered into the public record.
