DocketNumber: Docket No. 378-79X
Judges: Raum
Filed Date: 4/16/1980
Status: Precedential
Modified Date: 11/14/2024
*149 P is a corporation organized to benefit the poor of the Navajo Nation by assisting in the organization and operation of businesses that employ or are owned by residents of the Navajo Reservation. In 1974, P received a large grant from the Federal Government, although no further grants have been received; currently, P's most substantial source of revenue is the leasing of oil well drilling equipment, an enterprise operated outside the Navajo Reservation through a private, independent for-profit organization, Madar, Inc. The record does not show that any members of the Navajo Nation are employed in this venture.
*70 The Commissioner has ruled that petitioner does not qualify for exemption from income taxation under
FINDINGS OF FACT
This case was submitted on the basis of the stipulated administrative record, which is hereby incorporated in these findings by reference. Pursuant to
Petitioner Greater United Navajo Development Enterprises, *153 *71 An application for recognition of exemption under
Petitioner's articles*154 of incorporation, as amended on January 5, 1973, state that its incorporators have associated themselves together "for the purpose of forming a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax-exempt community economic development corporation without capital stock." The articles further provide that petitioner is organized for the following purposes:
To operate exclusively for charitable and educational purposes, including but not limited to, improvement of the condition of the Navajo Nation poor as is more specifically set forth hereinafter.
To organize, exist and function as a charitable, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization and to qualify, if possible, as a code section 509(a)(1) nonprivate foundation, an organization described in
To further economic development among the Navajo Nation poor, and to promote, encourage and assist the growth and development of business concerns within the Navajo Nation, including but not limited to small business concerns.
To engage in the business of establishing business opportunities and operating said businesses and projects in*155 order to create employment opportunities for residents of the Navajo Reservation, and to stimulate and add to the flow of private equity capital and long-term loan funds for small business enterprises located within the Navajo Nation.
In addition, the articles further provide that "specific and primary" purposes of petitioner are "To raise the economic, welfare, educational and social levels of the Navajo Nation poor, which have substantial unemployment and low-income families, to foster and promote national interest and concern for the problems of said Navajo Tribe to the end that (A) prejudice and discrimination, economic and otherwise, may be eliminated; (B) sickness and proverty [sic] may be lessened; and (C) educational opportunities may be expanded among the members of such Tribe." The articles specify that these purposes are to be accomplished by the following activities to benefit the Navajo Nation poor: expanding opportunities for Navajo ownership of and employment in small businesses; assistance to poor Navajo property owners in the development of their property; encouraging development of local businesses which employ, train, and educate residents of economically depressed*156 areas of the Navajo *72 Reservation; aiding underprivileged Navajos in developing management skills and obtaining business financing, although no direct financial assistance in the form of guarantees, investments, or loans is to be provided unless financing is unavailable from conventional sources; and assisting by contributions or otherwise the operation of charitable entities organized to carry on activities similar to those of petitioner. To further its charitable purposes, petitioner's articles authorize it to provide management or technical advice and financial support to Navajo business, to conduct research and educational programs, and operate small businesses that provide employment to Navajos and that advance economic development of the Navajo Nation.
GUNCO's articles of incorporation provide that the corporation is to engage in the construction business and is to exercise all lawful corporate powers necessary to further this business or any other business the corporation enters. GUNCO is also empowered "to take such actions * * * as may be beneficial to any community, state or country in which the Corporation has * * * business interests or investments." The articles*157 further provide that all its stock is to be issued to a corporation or corporations qualifying for exemption under
Petitioner characterizes GUNCO as a wholly owned subsidiary, although GUNCO has in fact never issued any stock. GUNCO was established as a separate corporation in order to satisfy the criterion for receipt of training and technical assistance funds from the Office of Native American Programs, a Federal agency now a part of the Office of Human Development in the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. Petitioner's application for exemption applied for a "group exemption" for itself and GUNCO and the activities of both entities are difficult to separate. The Government has been content to accept petitioner's treatment of GUNCO as its wholly owned subsidiary and has attached no particular importance to the independent corporate existence of GUNCO. Accordingly, for purposes of this opinion, the activities of*158 petitioner will be considered to include the activities of GUNCO.
*73 Petitioner's exemption application indicates that it engages in a wide range of activities. The beneficiaries of petitioner's activities are limited to Navajo Reservation residents. Petitioner's application for exemption represents that it contributes to charitable organizations and the Navajo School of Medicine, *159 grants educational scholarship, *160 the lease of the equipment, and is responsible for storing, operating, and maintaining the equipment. Petitioner reimburses Madar for the equipment maintenance and operation costs, and also pays for insurance. The trucks and trailers and other miscellaneous items are leased to other enterprises. At various times since its *74 organization, petitioner has also leased school buses and automobiles, provided garbage collection services, operated a service station and garage, and a concrete and cement batch plant. The businesses referred to in the preceding sentence have since been discontinued or phased out. Petitioner appears to have engaged in its business operations with the objective of making petitioner a self-supporting operation through "the establishment of highly profitable businesses," as opposed to "maximum utilization" of the Navajo labor force.
Petitioner's sources of funding are the business operations it conducts and Government grants. As of the date of the application for recognition of exemption, petitioner had received a total of $ 1,063,000 in Federal grants. *162 Petitioner's receipts have declined since the close of its fiscal year ending August 31, 1974. *161 In that year, petitioner had total receipts of $ 1,476,795.08, including receipts of $ 593,114.10 from "services," and net income in the amount of $ 263,665.48. GUNCO in the same fiscal year had a net loss of $ 217,404.94. In the following fiscal year (ending August 31, 1975), petitioner received the following gross income:Completed construction projects $ 176,440 Sale of equipment 143,050 Lease of equipment 353,120 Service center 43,907 Concrete division 67,961 Sanitation division 69,833 Madar Corp 17,357 Total income 871,668
No grants were received in that year, and petitioner ended the year with a net loss of $ 37,619. GUNCO had net income of $ 59,390 for a period from September 1, 1974, to October 31, 1975. *75 For the fiscal years ended August 31, 1976 and 1977, consolidated financial statements for petitioner and GUNCO are in the record. For the year ended August 31, 1976, the following results of operations were shown:Income: Madar, Inc $ 45,280.07 Construction 11,750.00 Equipment leasing 12,351.91 Service center 696.49 Concrete 481.00 Sale of assets 10,601.23 Other miscellaneous receipts 28,364.99 Total income $ 109,525.69 Total expenses 136,205.93 Net loss (26,680.24)
For the year ended August 31, 1977, the financial statements reported the following consolidated results*163 from operations:
Income: | ||
Madar, Inc | $ 193,600.73 | |
Leasing | 7,725.39 | |
Service center | 174.50 | |
Concrete | 7,393.38 | |
Sale of asset | 700.00 | |
Miscellaneous | 1,735.00 | |
Gross income | $ 211,329.00 | |
Total expenses | 203,090.51 | |
Net income | 8,238.49 |
The bulk of petitioner's expenditures appear to be general and administrative expenses or related to the operation of petitioner's "commercial" enterprises. However, petitioner reports that in the 3 years prior to January 1978, it made contributions totaling $ 500 to the Navajo School of Medicine. (See n. 3
OPINION
An organization may qualify for exemption from Federal income taxation under
*166 The Government argues, insofar as the "operational test" is concerned, that petitioner conducts business activities, construction and equipment-leasing, and operates these businesses in a manner indistinguishable from commercial enterprises. The Government contends that these commercial activities, as well as the business activities discontinued by petitioner, evidence a nonexempt purpose of such magnitude that petitioner is not operated "exclusively" for charitable or educational purposes. Petitioner contends that its on-reservation business activities, its construction business and some equipment leasing, are carried on solely for exempt purposes, the training and employment of the Navajo Nation poor. As to its off-reservation business, the oil well drilling equipment leasing business conducted through Madar, Inc., petitioner argues that although profit is pursued, the profits from the business are used for charitable purposes, and that the business is therefore not conducted for a nonexempt purpose. Petitioner further argues that operation of the off-reservation business is only an insubstantial part of its activities, and that its exempt status should therefore be unaffected*167 by such business activity.
In order to determine whether an organization is operated "exclusively" for exempt purposes, thus satisfying the so-called "operational test," we must first examine the organization's activities. The objective of this examination is to ascertain the purpose for the activities, for it is the purpose toward which the organization's activities are directed, and not the nature of the activities themselves, which is determinative under the operational test.
Although the word "exclusively" is used in the statute, it has not been given a strictly literal interpretation. *168 Thus, the Treasury regulations make clear that an organization can satisfy the operational test if it engages
As we stated in
*173 We conclude that petitioner fails to satisfy the aforementioned standards, and thus is not operated "exclusively" for charitable or educational purposes within the meaning of the statute. First of all, petitioner carries on substantial activities which are not directly related to any exempt purpose. In cooperation with Madar, Inc., petitioner leases oil well drilling equipment. This business is conducted outside the Navajo Reservation, and the record fails to show that Madar employs Navajos or otherwise furthers petitioner's exempt purposes. The *80 contract between petitioner and Madar indicates that mutual profit is the goal of their venture, and our attention has not been directed to any agreements which require Madar to further petitioner's charitable or educational purposes in the operation of the business. Moreover, petitioner is clearly an active participant in the business, and the business is petitioner's most substantial activity. For the fiscal years ended August 31, 1976 and 1977, receipts from petitioner's venture with Madar were petitioner's largest single source of gross income. In the 1977 fiscal year, receipts from that enterprise amounted to 91.6 percent*174 of petitioner's gross income. Plainly, this venture, which is by far petitioner's most important source of revenue, cannot be said to represent only an insubstantial part of its activities. Cf.
Furthermore, petitioner cannot successfully claim that it was merely a passive investor. Although it entered into an "exclusive machinery and equipment management agreement" with Madar, which is thus responsible for leasing, storing, operating, and maintaining the equipment, Madar is merely petitioner's agent. Petitioner pays the costs of maintaining and operating the equipment, including wages, payroll taxes, workmen's compensation insurance, fuel, repairs, and transportation charges. Madar receives only a management fee, which is 35 percent of realized gross income when the equipment is leased to third parties, or 25 percent of realized gross income when the equipment is operated by Madar for its own use. *175 for the equipment. Petitioner is the party that bears the principal risk of loss in the leasing of the equipment, since petitioner is the party that foots the bill for operating expenses. We conclude, in the circumstances, that petitioner is an active participant in the oil drilling equipment leasing business, and is not merely a passive investor.
*81 Petitioner represents that the proceeds from the equipment leasing business are dedicated to charitable and educational purposes, and argues that the operation*176 of this business is therefore not a wholly nonexempt activity. However, numerous cases have held that the destination of business income for charitable uses will not transform the operation of an otherwise nonexempt trade or business into an exempt activity. E.g.,
The Commissioner has issued a number of rulings in this field under a variety of assumed sets of facts. E.g.,
The pivotal consideration in this case is that petitioner was directly engaged (either by itself or through its agent) in the conduct of a commercial leasing enterprise for the principal *82 purpose of realizing profits, without any showing that such enterprise was in any way related to an exempt purpose. That enterprise appears to be its principal activity, at least measured by its total gross income. Moreover, even as to other activities in which it engaged, the charitable aspects -- such as the training of unskilled Navajo workers -- appear on this record to be of relatively minimal consequence. There are also possible deficiencies in the record relating to petitioner's other activities that we need not consider in view of our conclusion that petitioner was operated for the principal purpose of realizing a profit in a venture unrelated to any charitable objective. We hold that petitioner does not qualify as an organization operated "exclusively" for exempt purposes, even though its operations may further some charitable*179 ends.
1. The statutory requirements for invocation of this Court's declaratory judgment jurisdiction have been satisfied: petitioner is the organization whose exempt status is in issue, petitioner has exhausted its administrative remedies, and this action was timely filed.
2. Although the word "Enterprises" appears in the plural as part of petitioner's name in the pleadings and briefs of the parties as well as in various other documents, it appears in the singular as "Enterprise" in its articles of incorporation.↩
3. The record shows only a contribution of $ 500 for this purpose.↩
4. In response to an IRS inquiry as to all educational scholarships for the preceding 3 years, petitioner revealed merely a payment of $ 786 to Arizona State University for a student named Shari Atcitty. The surname of that student is the same as that of petitioner's president and chairman of the board. The record fails to disclose whether they are related. However, the Government has not made any argument in respect of this matter.↩
5. Petitioner's exemption application indicates that these grants were received in its "taxable year" 1974. However, the financial statements included in the record for petitioner and GUNCO show only $ 934,000 Federal grant revenue for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 1974, which presumably was its "taxable year." The discrepancy is unexplained.↩
6. The Oct. 31 date appears in a financial statement identified as exhibit 32-AF in the record. The possibility that this may be in error and that the correct date should be Aug. 31 is suggested by GUNCO's financial statement for the preceding fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 1974, and by the consolidated financial statements of petitioner and GUNCO for the fiscal years ended Aug. 31, 1976 and 1977, as indicated in the next paragraph of the text above.↩
7.
(a) Exemption From Taxation. -- An organization described in subsection (c) * * * shall be exempt from taxation under this subtitle unless such exemption is denied under section 502 or 503.
* * * *
(c) List of Exempt Organizations. -- The following organizations are referred to in subsection (a):
* * * * (3) Corporations * * * organized and operated exclusively for * * * charitable * * * or educational purposes * * * no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation, (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.↩
8.
"An organization will be regarded as "operated exclusively" for one or more exempt purposes only if it engages primarily in activities which accomplish one or more of such exempt purposes specified in
9.
(e)
10. Petitioner's proposed findings of fact request a finding that 66 2/3 percent of lease payments are transferred to GUNCO, and respondent did not object to this finding. However, petitioner's agreement with Madar, as amended, is in the administrative record, and it contains the terms described in the text. However, the discrepancy need not concern us, as it is the method by which Madar is compensated, rather than the amount of the management fee, which is of relevance in reaching our decision.↩
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