Not only that, cons often pay authors (and artists and fan GoHs) to go to the party. I happen to think this is a Good Thing, but for the average Joe, YMMV.
And some charities have paid employees and sometimes reimburse their volunteers' out-of-pocket expenses in pursuit of their (legitimate) goals. Some people seem to not understand why this would happen. There comes a point where I get tied up in knots trying to explain why this would be.
Conrunning groups organized as 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt societies have a purpose that includes literary and educational elements. Those elements are not always free of cost. One of the costs is usually renting the facilities. Another, perfectly legitimate one, is to pay for the expenses involved in the honored guests whose presence is part of the program that is the convention's purpose.
I guess what I'm saying is that people who don't think that's fair don't really think that conrunning groups should be tax-exempt organizations at all, and this sort of thinking, taken to a logical extreme, undermines a whole chunk of modern society.
no subject
Conrunning groups organized as 501(c)(3) non-profit, tax-exempt societies have a purpose that includes literary and educational elements. Those elements are not always free of cost. One of the costs is usually renting the facilities. Another, perfectly legitimate one, is to pay for the expenses involved in the honored guests whose presence is part of the program that is the convention's purpose.
I guess what I'm saying is that people who don't think that's fair don't really think that conrunning groups should be tax-exempt organizations at all, and this sort of thinking, taken to a logical extreme, undermines a whole chunk of modern society.