A 527-organization or 527 group is a type of U.S. tax-exempt organization organized under Section 527 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. A 527 group is created primarily to influence the selection, nomination, election, appointment or defeat of candidates to federal, state or local public office.

Technically, almost all political committees, including state, local, and federal candidate committees, traditional political action committees, "Super PACs", and political parties are "527s." However, in common practice the term is usually applied only to such organizations that are not regulated under state or federal campaign finance laws because they do not "expressly advocate" for the election or defeat of a candidate or party.

Hi Steve. Thanks for the emails.  Sorry I didn’t get back to you a few days ago.  I am responding from my personal/campaign account because this seems to be more campaign related.

In terms of the bill on retiree pensions, I am happy to talk about this with anyone.  Yes, we spoke and I had it drafted. But in doing my due diligence, I have many people who objected to it.  I am actively involved with legacy costs discussions right now as a member of the Governor’s task force on municipal retirement and health care. Legacy costs will be something that we deal with on the state level this year, and that I will deal with at the City should I be elected Mayor.

As for the 527, it is called the Schor Lansing Fund.  We raise very little money and it is used for charitable and non-profit contributions when I get requests.  I am inundated with these requests from charities and non-profits. My wife and I can’t satisfy all these requests personally, and I don’t want to use campaign dollars because we need those for the campaign.  That’s what this fund is used for.

Annual reporting is only necessary if more than $25,000 is raised per year, and we raise nowhere near that.  Maybe a few thousand dollars per year.

Here is a list of folks that we have sent money to in the last three years:

A. Phillip Randolph Institute 

Allen Neighborhood Center

BCFI

Capital Area Cesar Chavez Commission

Capital Area Hispanic Community Reps

Connect 4 Kids

Eastside Neighborhood Organization

Eliezer Temple Church

Emerge Michigan

Faith Fellowship Baptist Church

Fearless Faith

Friends of Lansing Regional Trails

Friends of Lansing Schools

GLAC-NANBPWC

Goodwill Fellowship Fund

Greater Lansing A.C. - N.A. Negro Women

Greater Lansing Clergy Forum

Greater Lansing Food Bank

Greater Lansing Housing Coalition

Haven House

Ingham County Bar Association

Kehillat Israel

Lansing Black Chamber of Commerce

Lansing City Pulse

Lansing COGIC

Lansing for Cesar Chavez

Lansing Neighborhood Council

Lansing Regional Sister Cities Commission

Lansing Urban Farm Project

LCLAA

LEMATA

MEB Foundation

MI Women's Studies Association

Michigan Bulletin

Michigan Special Olympics

MLK Day Commission

NAACP Lansing

NANBPWC

NYP Foundation, Inc

Old Newsboys

Parker Memorial Baptist Church

PEERS

Police Officer Appreciation

Progressive Women's Caucus

Reach Out Christian Center Church

Region 1-D Women's Council

Saginaw Oakland Commercial Assoc

SBAM

Sparrow Foundation

Special Olympics of Michigan

St. Matthew AME Church

Strange Matters Coffee

Sycamore Park Neighborhood Association

The Chronicle Newspaper

The Hispanic Chamber

UAW 6000

UAW Region 1D

UFCW 951 Foundation

Union Missionary Baptist Church

Wexford PTA

Woldumar Nature Center

Zeta Phi Beta Sorrority

I hope that helps.

Andy

Thanks for the information, Andy. I didn't realize that there was a $25,000 limit for 527 reporting.

And thanks for the list of people and organizations who have received payment from the Schor Lansing Fund. I know this is asking a lot, but could you give me a full accounting of the fund, including names, dates and amounts of all contributions to and expenditures from the fund?

Hi Steve.  Let me see what I can get.