Should Churches Remain Tax-Exempt?

[FatAndFaithless]

If a secular charity doesn't pay its property tax they lose the property. Why should churches get special treatment?

[Jenny A]

If a secular charity doesn't pay its property tax they lose the property. Why should churches get special treatment?

Actually most secular charities do get property tax exemption. But they do have to open up their books and prove they really are a charity.

[FatAndFaithless]

Fair enough, make the churches do that.

[IATIA]

They all should pay there fair share, religious and secular alike.

Non-profit millionaires

[Heywood]

What do you do if the Church doesn't pay its property tax? Seize the property and sell it off? That sounds a lot like passing a law that effectively makes it difficult for a group of people to worship as they please.

Yes. We'd do it to the Elk's club too. What would be the difference? Frankly, property taxes cover use of city roads etc. Like businesses and club (which is what they are), churches make considerable demands on the infrastructure surrounding them. That comes out of my tax dollars thank you very much.

And I might add that the mortgage company would foreclose if the mortgage is not paid church or no. I've been to some lovely restaurants, B&Bs, art cinemas that were once churches. Why should churches get a privilege from the government that they don't get from the financial industry?

What founding principle would that be?

The difference is engaging in activities of being an "Elk" is not constitutionally protected to be free from laws prohibiting the exercise thereof. It it is true that laws can be made which limit the exercise of religion when it is deemed those laws are necessary. Nobody has ever shown that unless we start taxing churches the state will be unable to fulfill its obligations.

Life is full of trade offs. If we are going to have freedom of religion in this country to the maximum extent possible....which seems to be the intent of the First Amendment.....it necessitates tax exemption of churches.

Personally I do not have a problem with eliminating tax deductions to charitable organization including church's. I do have problem taxing church property used for worship and church receipts from the congregation.

[Jenny A]

Yes. We'd do it to the Elk's club too. What would be the difference? Frankly, property taxes cover use of city roads etc. Like businesses and club (which is what they are), churches make considerable demands on the infrastructure surrounding them. That comes out of my tax dollars thank you very much.

And I might add that the mortgage company would foreclose if the mortgage is not paid church or no. I've been to some lovely restaurants, B&Bs, art cinemas that were once churches. Why should churches get a privilege from the government that they don't get from the financial industry?

What founding principle would that be?

The difference is engaging in activities of being an "Elk" is not constitutionally protected to be free from laws prohibiting the exercise thereof. It it is true that laws can be made which limit the exercise of religion when it is deemed those laws are necessary. Nobody has ever shown that unless we start taxing churches the state will be unable to fulfill its obligations.

Life is full of trade offs. If we are going to have freedom of religion in this country to the maximum extent possible....which seems to be the intent of the First Amendment.....it necessitates tax exemption of churches.

Personally I do not have a problem with eliminating tax deductions to charitable organization including church's. I do have problem taxing church property used for worship and church receipts from the congregation.

The First Amendment says:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

By granting a tax exemption for property not granted to others, I'd say Congress is establishing religion. Taxing property and income in the same way it taxes everyone else and every other organization is not prohibiting.

[Tartarus Sauce]

If they want to be tax exempt, they should have to jump through the same hoops as any other non-profit.

If they can't establish that they are indeed a non-profit, too fucking bad.

[Minimalist]

There is no constitutional right to a tax exemption.

[Heywood]

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

By granting a tax exemption for property not granted to others, I'd say Congress is establishing religion. Taxing property and income in the same way it taxes everyone else and every other organization is not prohibiting.

You can say that Congress is establishing religion but this argument is impotent because you already assume those religions would exist or continue to exist regardless of whether or not the state taxes them.

You can't have it both ways.

[Jenny A]

You can say that Congress is establishing religion but this argument is impotent because you already assume those religions would exist or continue to exist regardless of whether or not the state taxes them.

You can't have it both ways.

Oh come now. All sorts of taxed organizations exist regardless of taxes. In some Islamic countries churches and Christians are taxed more for being Christian (yes that would and should be unconstitutional here) but they continue to exist. Christians in many counties including this one taxed people for not going to church or for being Jewish. Property taxes, income taxes, and sales taxes levied at the same rate everyone else pays are nothing like a prohibition. In fact they would be religious neutral, which is what they should be. As is there is a religious tax privilege.