Zampogna v. Law Enforcement Health Benefits, Inc.

81 A.3d 1043, 2013 WL 6190186, 2013 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 495
CourtCommonwealth Court of Pennsylvania
DecidedNovember 27, 2013
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 81 A.3d 1043 (Zampogna v. Law Enforcement Health Benefits, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Zampogna v. Law Enforcement Health Benefits, Inc., 81 A.3d 1043, 2013 WL 6190186, 2013 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 495 (Pa. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinions

OPINION BY

Judge COVEY.1

Frank Zampogna (Zampogna) appeals from the Philadelphia County Common Pleas Court’s (trial court) January 24, 2012 order dismissing Zampogna’s Declaratory Judgment Action seeking a permanent injunction against Law Enforcement Health Benefits, Inc. (Health Benefits).2 The sole issue before the Court is whether the trial court erred in not granting a permanent injunction and declaratory relief against Health Benefits.

The key facts are not in dispute. The Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge 5 (Union), a nonprofit corporation, represents Philadelphia police officers concerning the Union members’ wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment with the City of Philadelphia (City). The Union’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the City provides active and retired Union members and their families (collectively Members) medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage. It also establishes a “Joint Trust Board” (Joint Trust), the Union President appoints 80 percent of the Joint Trust’s members, and the City appoints 20 percent of the members, to supervise and manage the delivery of healthcare benefits. Reproduced Record (R.R.) at A-74; Appel-lee’s Br. at 2. In turn, the Joint Trust “determine[s] who would be in charge of administering the health benefits for the police officers.... ” R.R. at A-75. The Joint Trust selected Health Benefits to administer the Members’ healthcare benefits. Health Benefits’ paid Administrator/Chief Executive Officer, Thomas Lamb (Lamb), testified that “[Health Benefits’] existence is dependent upon the advocacy of the FOP [President.” Id. at A-75. He further acknowledged that because the Union President influences the composition of the Joint Trust, Health Benefits “exists at the pleasure of the Joint Trust Board.” Id. at A-79. Lamb also testified that “[t]he Joint Trust has the capability of closing [Health Benefits]....” Id. at A-54.

Health Benefits is a nonprofit corporation which exists for the purpose of administering the Members’ contractual health insurance benefits. Health Benefits is governed by a paid Board of Directors (Board). R.R. at A-170.

[Health Benefits] is funded solely by funds required to be made by the [City] pursuant to the terms of a [CBA] between the City and [the Union]. The monies are then forwarded by the [Joint Trust] that receives contractual contributions from the City or are reimbursed to Health Benefits by the City as a result of the former’s incursion of healthcare expenses on behalf of covered law enforcement personnel.[3]

[1046]*1046R.R. at A-154 (emphasis added), see also A-3B-A-34, A-176.

During the 2010 Union President election in which Zampogna was a candidate, Health Benefits’ Board was concerned about statements Zampogna had made which it believed were misleading and false. In response, the Board approved the decision to respond to Zampog-na’s statements through the expenditure of monies it received from the Joint Trust by publishing and mailing Union election materials against Zampogna and in support of and expressly endorsing the current Union President who subsequently won the election.4 Zampogna filed a declaratory judgment action against Health Benefits requesting a permanent injunction to prevent Health Benefits from using public monies to engage in partisan activities. The trial court held a bench trial and, on January 24, 2012, denied the injunction and dismissed Zampogna’s declaratory judgment action. Zampogna filed post-trial motions which the trial court denied on February 29, 2012. Zampogna appealed to this Court.5,6

Zampogna argues that the trial court erred in finding that a nonprofit corporation funded by taxpayer money dedicated solely to the administration of healthcare benefits for active and retired Union police officers and their families could use those public funds to advocate, support, and circulate mailings to endorse a specific candidate for Union President. Zampogna further contends that the trial court erred as a matter of law in concluding that Health Benefits’ endorsement and expenditure of public monies for one Union presidential candidate over another candidate was not a violation of Health Benefits’ Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, and the Pennsylvania Nonprofit Corporation Law of 1988 (Law).7

Health Benefits asserts that Zampogna, while running for Union President, was making misleading, material misrepresentations regarding Health Benefits’ administration of the healthcare benefits. The Board, in an effort to protect Health Benefits from Zampogna causing detrimental harm, made an informed decision to have Health Benefits endorse the incumbent Union President and expend monies to prepare and have mailings sent notifying its members of Zampogna’s misrepresentations about Health Benefits, and to endorse the current Union President.8,9 The [1047]*1047cost of the mailings was $3,840.00. Appel-lee’s Br. at 8. Health Benefits also included the same message in its newsletter at no additional expense.

Health Benefits maintains that Section 5502(a)(9) of the Law, 15 Pa.C.S. § 5502(a)(9), provides that nonprofit corporations have the power to make contributions and donations. In addition, it contends that Health Benefits’ Articles of Incorporation permit expenditures for the purpose of engaging in “such other proper purposes incidental to” providing health benefits to its members. R.R. at A-165. Moreover, it avers that Health Benefits’ Bylaws vest the powers of Health Benefits in its Board not the court, to manage the corporation.10

Initially, we recognize that Section 5502 of the Law specifically provides: “(a) General rule. — Subject to the limitations and restrictions imposed by statute and, ... subject to the limitations and restrictions contained in its articles[11,12] every nonprofit corporation shall have power: ... (9) To make contributions and donations.” 15 Pa.C.S. § 5502 (emphasis added). Black’s Law Dictionary, 526 (9th ed. 2009) defines a donation as “[a] gift, esp. to a charity.”13

[1048]*1048Here, Health Benefits’ Articles of Incorporation Addendum states, in pertinent part:

A. The purpose of the Corporation is:
(a) to receive, hold, invest, administer, and distribute funds to provide health and welfare benefits for, and on behalf of, the corporation’s members (and such members’ eligible spouses and dependents), who are the members of the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge No. 5 (a Pennsylvania nonprofit corporation) who are eligible to participate in the Blue Cross/Blue Shield health insurance plan (or such other health insurance plan) that is to be maintained by the Corporation for the benefit of such members;
(b) to engage in such other proper purposes incidental to the foregoing;
(c) to engage in all other proper operations for which corporations may be formed and operated under the Pennsylvania Not-For-Profit Code.

R.R. at A-165 (emphasis added). Article III, Section 1 of Health Benefits’ Bylaws establishes that:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
81 A.3d 1043, 2013 WL 6190186, 2013 Pa. Commw. LEXIS 495, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/zampogna-v-law-enforcement-health-benefits-inc-pacommwct-2013.