La Mirada Chamber has not filed taxes since 2008

By Brian Hews

In research done using the Economic Research Institute website, (http://www.eri-nonprofit-salaries.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=NPO.Search), the La Mirada Lamplighter has learned that the last year the La Mirada Chamber filed tax returns was 2008.
The Lamplighter contacted Rose Hamilton, CPA, who was shown on the 2008 tax returns as the CPA of record for the chamber.
Hamilton said,  “I have contacted Mr, Demian Ross (the person who keeps the accounting records for the chamber) several times with no response, I had to resort to calling Ms. Ellis and she too has not responded, there is only so much I can do”.
According to the IRS, the filing penalties for 990 series could place the chamber is serious financial jeopardy: If a return is not filed, the IRS may assess penalties on the organization of $20 per day until it is filed. This penalty also applies when filer fails to include required information or to show correct information. The penalty for a return may not exceed the lesser of $10,000 or 5 percent of the organization’s gross receipts (more for organizations whose gross receipts exceed $1 million). The IRS may impose penalties on organization managers who do not comply with a written demand that the information be filed. The Lamplighter attempted to contact Ross and Ellis but they did not return calls.