Community Shares of Utah has accused a second city of denying it equal access to employee charitable contributions.
In a lawsuit filed Monday in U.S. District Court, the organization says it was shut out of Murray. Community Shares says it wants the same access to employees as afforded to United Way.Like United Way, Community Shares is a federation of charitable and public service agencies that solicit and collect contributions through payroll deduction plans.
On Friday, the organization sued Ogden, alleging the city "arbitrarily and capriciously" denied its request to solicit employee contributions through payroll deductions.
According to both suits, the municipal policies or lack of policies deprive employees of their constitutional right to hear solicitations from Community Shares. The suits also allege a violation of the Utah Constitution.
The latest suit says Murray denied Community Shares access to workers on Aug. 20 even though it granted access to United Way.
In a letter to Community Shares director Lynne Brandley, Murray Mayor Lynn F. Pett said the rejection was based on technical administrative limitations. The city's payroll program is designed for only one deduction for charitable contributions, the letter said.
Pett said the city's management information systems department could begin working on changing the payroll deduction program to permit a second choice next year.
However, he noted that his term of office expires at the end of this year and "you will need to work with the next administration" to follow through on the changes.
Ogden rejected Community Shares because of concerns over its auditing standards and marketing materials, according to Wayne C. Parker, director of management services. In an Aug. 13 letter to Brandley, Parker said the city might be willing to reconsider its decision if Community Shares can address the concerns.
Community Shares, whose member agencies include a number of controversial environmental and gay and lesbian support groups, was also initially denied access to Salt Lake County workers in 1990. However, the county later reversed its position.
Community Shares is currently participating in payroll deductions plans in the state's largest school districts, a number of colleges and universities, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, West Valley City, state government and other agencies.