Lions Club and youth groups press council on fireworks fees and risk of taxing volunteer events

Multiple public commenters used the councils public-comment period to describe the local carnivals role in community fundraising and to ask for clarity on how fees are assessed and passed on.

Becky Senna, president of the New Freedom Alliance Club (the Lions Club), thanked borough staff and the Southern Regional Police Department for event support and said that two club members covered the $250 application fee and $500 fire-standby fee this year. She asked whether standby fees are fixed or can vary year to year; a borough staff member said fees are set annually and are intended as reimbursement to the fire company. "Weve had our carnival for over 75 years and we want to continue that," Senna said, asking council for continued coordination so volunteer groups can budget for fees.

Steve Lanigan of SYC Youth Club described his volunteer organization's expenses (gym rental, uniforms, officials) and emphasized that fundraiser proceeds support capital improvements and programs for children, including a challenger program for special-needs participants. He said youth groups were worried that a patron-style amusement tax—applied to ticket or wristband sales—would effectively reduce fundraising revenue and place pressure on families who already pay to attend events.

Other residents echoed concerns that the ordinance as drafted may shift costs to patrons rather than organizations and could make community events more expensive. Council members responded that current law treats the amusement tax as a ticket/patron tax and that certain charities and specifically defined nonprofit events can be exempt; staff and the solicitor said specific exemptions in the Local Tax Enabling Act can apply when 100% of net proceeds benefit a qualifying public charity or educational institution.

Provenance: topicintro: SEG 100; topfinish: SEG 1200.