Should the tax law be amended?
If a church can buy a $3.65 million parsonage, should the parsonage be tax free?
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Comments (3)
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While I don't agree with it... what are you going to do about it? It's not like laws are going to be written to limit the property value that nonprofits could purchase. Technically, it sounds like skirting tax laws and evasion, but as far as the books are considered, it's considered legal.
Personally, I don't see it changing anytime soon. In NC alone, we have the exact same issues that have come up. Never falls in the favor of the taxpayer or city for that matter.
Just takes one to abuse the law to make it worse for others, but again, raising awareness doesn't mean anyone will bother to do anything. This subject isn't anything new. Just look at what ministrywatch.com investigates.
Posted on March 27, 2007 1:16 PM
Yes, the tax laws should be amended. No church should be exempt from property tax, period. There is no reason why they alone should be allowed to buy any property and not pay for government services like fire and police department protection, garbage pickup and street maintenance.
Posted on March 28, 2007 9:33 AM
The idea is that churches are not for-profit organizations, but charitable in nature. I know there are abuses, as there are in everything under the sun; but all charitable groups would have to lose thier tax-exempt status if churches lost theirs. One might not agree with the service or ministry that any number of exempt groups engage in, but they are not in it for the money, but for the services rendered to the community. Darkmoon is right that it only takes an abuse or two before the vultures want blood for the whole group.
Then, there is the issue of the separation of church and state, which liberal atheists love to use when it suits thier purposes in banning craches and crosses, etc. Government whould keep their mits off the church, taxation included; and there should be no official (established) donomination. I believe in separation of church and state institutionally (no taxation), but united "under God" in a general spiritual sense.
Posted on March 29, 2007 8:15 PM