The IRS spokeswoman, Peggy Riley, said a charity could face tax evasion charges if it collects tax-free gifts and intentionally does not register as a nonprofit. But the organization can legally operate as a for-profit corporation, as long as it files a yearly tax return, she said. Those returns are not public and Petruccelli did not answer specific questions about its tax filings.
Petruccelli said his position on allowing a casino in East Boston evolved as he studied the issue and learned how many more jobs it would create than a slot parlor. Though already a supporter by the time he received a donation from the Fields Foundation in 2009, over the last two years, the state senator has made sure bills before the Legislature have included a provision that would make local approval easier.
He has inserted language that makes East Boston the only neighborhood in the city that would get to vote in a referendum to approve a casino. Other potential casino sites outside of Boston would require referendums by the entire city or town.
Petruccelli said the residents deserve to decide their own fate on casinos, without interference from distant neighborhoods in other parts of Boston.
“The amendment’s not for [Suffolk]. The amendment’s for the community that I live in,’’ Petruccelli said. “For decades, bureaucrats, state agencies, media outlets have all said to people in East Boston what is good for them.’’
Noah Bierman can be reached at nbierman@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahbierman.
