As far as the question of reimbursing for tax and/or gift cards - both of those would be policies your group would define. My own thoughts are:
1) Sales tax - if the teacher easily has the authority to make tax-exempt purchases, that shouldn't be reimbursed. In our school, it would not be easy as the district restricts who has the authority to use the school's tax ID number and how. Therefore, we reimburse for the whole amount, including sales tax.
2) Gift cards. I would be against reimbursing for that. If the goal is to collect receipts so that purchases are auditable to assure they were for types of items intended, then allowing them to purchase a gift card defeats the purpose. In our case, the stipend is not a "gift" for the teacher to spend as he/she chooses. It is a set amount to be used for supplies and items that benefit the classroom. The teacher acts as the agent to make those purchases. We hope it's also a peraonal benefit as teachers typically spend significant personal money on their classrooms. So maybe the funds we provide reduce their out-of-pocket expenses. But we need receipts for actual goods.
I also disagree about the Debit Cards being a bad idea.
If handled properly, meaning only the appropriate people having access, then it's the same as a check, but more convenient.
In years past if I needed something I would need to pay for it myself, take the receipt to the Treasurer, get a check, and then take the check to my bank and deposit. That's a bunch of wasted time.
The other option was to meet the Treasurer at the store to go shopping with her so that she could write the check out. Again, what a waste of time. It's hard enough to keep a Treasurer in office, and adding numerous events over the course of the year makes it even more difficult. Also ordering online has been much better.
I'm all for making things easier and having the Debit Card has probably been the best thing that we did this year in this regard.
ivolunteeredagain;142930 wrote: Debit cards are also not a good idea.
I think that entirely depends on the policy/people involved. We have actually had better luck and less hassle with the debit card then we did with needing to get a check, etc.
I too am the Treasurer for our PTA. We have standing policy of never handing out blank checks or writing checks with out receipts or invoices.
Our Hospitality chair requested a check to pay for our Teacher Appreciation Luncheon by presenting me with an invoice from the resturaunt. I wrote the check directly to the resturaunt.
The above link is how parents in CA PTAs can request advances....I don't know if this will help you in your PTA.
Speaking of questions on how to fund expenses for someone that can't be reimbursed....How do you all know which expenses you can get reimbursed for? Does your Treasurer give you an expense policy when you are put on a committee where there will be expenses?
I just found out that our school PTA doesn't reimburse for tax or for gift card purchases....I don't think many of our members know this (I didn't) and might spend personal funds which they won't be reimbursed for later (I did).
My old school reimbused for these items....
We don't have a completely defined policy about what we do and don't reimburse for. Luckily so far we have not had a need for it, but we are also updating our budget sheet format, etc. so I am certain that will become a part of the discussion.
At this time basically the committee chair can spend up to the budgeted amount for preapproved events at their discretion, with receipts presented for the event/reimbursement and future budgeting purposes.
WE never write blank checks-- or advance funds for any reason---
You can get a check made out to a specific store with the total cost only-- such as restaurant for a teacher luncheon.-- there has been too many problems with blank checks written in the past.
