Normally, when you think of heated debate in Austin, you think of the State Legislature. On January 21 and 22, the heated debate was amongst the members of the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants. The debate was part of the TSCPA’s Mid-Year Board meeting.
On the agenda was a revisitation of non-CPA ownership of CPA practices. As you know back in 2001, the TSCPA lobbied the State legislature to pass the Public Accountancy Act of 2001. The act allowed for minority non-CPA ownership of CPA firms.
The Bylaws of the TSCPA provide that a mail ballot of membership will be done if the TSCPA receives a petition for a mail ballot by at least 50 members. Approximately 75 members signed such a petition requiring a mail ballot on the issue.
After several hours of debate, amendments, amendment revisions, calls to order, calls to question, budgetary roadblocks and parliamentary procedure maneuvering, yada, yada, yada, it was voted that a mail out ballot would be done and the content of the ballot was approved. It was further agreed that the results of the mail survey would be provided to the Executive Committee of the TSCPA so that they could truly know the will of the membership.
As a member of the TSCPA, you will be receiving a mail ballot after April 15
th. The mail ballot will consist of three questions. (1) "I support maintaining …minority ownership interest by non-CPA’s"; (2) "I support changing…ownership should be limited solely to CPAs"; (3) "I have no opinion on the issue of ownership of CPA firms". If you are not familiar with this issue and have no opinion, ask a CPA associate you know and respect for their perspective on the issue.
I encourage you to take the time to fill out and return the ballot when you receive it in April. Regardless of what side of the issue you come down on, please vote and let your voice be heard.
