Whether because of Mayor Dave Schmidt’s quest for transparency in all aspects of City government, or because of questions raised by this blog, Taste of Park Ridge, NFP (“Taste Inc.”) has finally, after five years of operating Taste of Park Ridge (“Taste, the event”), issued a written statement [pdf] about its history and its operations.  

While solidly self-serving (and perhaps a bit revisionist?), it does reveal some surprising information about what Taste Inc. is and how it operates, starting with its claim that its 2009 gross receipts were $266,652!

That’s right: $266,652…for a three day event.  Suh-weet!

Taste Inc.’s statement also reports that this “civic celebration…costs $90,000+.”  If we take that to mean that Taste Inc.’s expenses are $90,000+, then Taste Inc. is making a cool $176,000 in annual “profit.” 

That’s not too shabby for three days of actual business, although Taste Inc. insists that its “management committee volunteers approximately 8,000-10,000 hours over the course of every year,” worth “over $50,000.”  Fair enough…drop the “profit” down to $126,000.  That’s not too shabby, either. 

Taste Inc. contends that “[t]he $5,000 costs to the city are the services it provides as its sponsorship.” Apparently Taste Inc. didn’t get the City memo that Taste the event is costing the City almost $23,000 a year in City services, not merely $5,000.  That’s one heck of a “sponsorship” – especially for a public body (the City) that is running multi-million dollar budget deficits.

And if Taste Inc. is generating an annual “profit” of $176,000, what’s it doing with all that money – considering that it claims to have contributed only $5,200 “to various community groups in 2009”? 

But the most intriguing item Taste Inc. reports is its status as a 501(c)(6) enterprise. That designation is reserved not for “charitable” organizations, but for associations of persons having common business interests with a purpose of promoting those common business interests. 

While we’re not even close to “transparency” with Taste Inc., this initial disclosure – after five years of secrecy – makes it a bit more understandable why Taste Inc. has been so protective and close-mouthed about its no-bid monopoly on Taste the event.