Nonprofits Want Clarity on State Sales Tax

MONTPELIER — The Champlain Valley Exposition already is selling tickets — without charging sales tax — for headline acts Bill Cosby, Justin Bieber and Keith Urban, who are booked to perform during the annual fair in late summer.

Those tax-free tickets could be a problem.

The Department of Taxes could rule the nonprofit Exposition doesn’t qualify for tax exemptions when it jointly presents and splits ticket revenues with performers.

That’s what happened to the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts in Burlington earlier this year. The Tax Department audited the Flynn and then billed it $190,000 in back taxes, penalties and interest.