The Poseurs of POSA

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Now that the Partrick Wetlands have been saved, the Partrick Wetland Preservation Fund is moving on. The group announced on January 8, 2008 that it is enlarging its focus. Because the Fund is now working to save open space throughout Westport, it is changing its name to the Partrick Open Space Alliance, or POSA. Unfortunately the new name sounds a lot like “poseur” when pronounced with a Boston accent. We at PM are even more amused by this New England homonym given that POSA Director Matthew Mandell is a graduate of Boston University.

Westport Now reported that Mathew Mandell and Sean Timmins will continue to lead the new group and this announcement surprised us. Both Mr. Mandell and Mr. Timmins are members of the Westport Representative Town Meeting. How can members of our local government run an environmental lobbying organization? Isn’t there a conflict of interest?

We’re confused. POSA is a lobbying group, right? At least that is what Mr. Mandell seems to say in his press release:

“For almost 7 years Sean and I have worked with the greater Westport community to not only save the Wetlands, but to forge new alliances and educate those looking to learn about the prevention of sprawl, the promotion of environmental advocacy and how grass roots groups can make a positive change,” said Mandell. “Our plan is to continue this effort.”

If POSA, or its predessor the Partrick Wetlands Preservation Fund, is a lobbying group, how can it be a 501(c)3 tax-deductible nonprofit organization (as it says at the bottom of the press release)? After all, the IRS does not allow political organizations to be nonprofit tax-deductible companies. A lobbying group must be incorporated as a 501(c)4 nonprofit company, which means that contributors cannot deduct donations from their taxes.

Oops. We hope this doesn’t cause problems for any hedge fund managers who may have donated to the PWPF over the years.

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