Comptroller's Office: PTAs, Like Any Seller, Must Collect Sales Tax

PTA organizations across the state are required to collect a sales tax— a law the Maryland PTA evidently wasn't aware of, according to The Capital Gazette.

Incoming Maryland PTA president Ray Leone told the Annapolis-based newspaper that if the state were to collect back taxes from the PTAs, many of them would go bankrupt.

Caron Brace, a spokeswoman for Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot, said the law isn't new—and isn't special to PTAs.

"Sales from the PTA are no different from any organization that sells something." Brace said. "Technically everytime you sell something, you collect a sales tax."

The spokeswoman pointed out that the comptroller's office wasn't targeting PTAs, but instead responded to an email inquiry.

"Someone contacted the office general email and asked about PTAs," she said. "All we did was respond. This is not anything where we went after them. We were reacting."

Brace declined to comment on whether the PTAs will face audits or collections.

The Capital reports that the Maryland PTA sent out an email to all PTAs this month asking them to start collecting taxes. Leone told the paper that the group plans to ask the state to change its taxation requirements.

Maryland PTA representatives were not available for comment on this blog post.