Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You are suggesting that the churchs operate on a hand to mouth basis with no assets?
They have to pay their power bills, thier employees, put new roofs on and so on and so forth.
Additionally, they may have funds created by special donation designed to offer things like scholarships, aid for the poor etc. that are in perpetuity and thus require stewardship of assets.
The Constitution only bars Congress from making laws about the establishment of religion, no where does it say churches should get a pass on paying for the municipal services they use that taxpayers foot the bill for, police, fire, water, sewer, sanitation, etc., etc., etc......................
Why should non-churchgoers be forced to contribute to the support of churches?
Perhaps its different among the various states based on how services are paid for and how the state raises revenue, but the Church I attend in CA pays for many of the services you referenced. They do also get charged annual use fees by the various local governing bodies.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,330 posts, read 54,400,252 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by WilliamSmyth
Perhaps its different among the various states based on how services are paid for and how the state raises revenue, but the Church I attend in CA pays for many of the services you referenced. They do also get charged annual use fees by the various local governing bodies.
Where I used to live in NJ, all the services I mentioned were part of my property taxes, as far as I could determine the churches don't pay those taxes.
Under current law as your link points out Churches are taxed on any for profit businesses they run.
Another $6 billion of church money was said by Time to be tied up in “unspecified investments.” All of these activities, it should be noted, are categorized as “unrelated business income” and subject to state and federal taxes.
The Constitution only bars Congress from making laws about the establishment of religion, no where does it say churches should get a pass on paying for the municipal services they use that taxpayers foot the bill for, police, fire, water, sewer, sanitation, etc., etc., etc......................
Why should non-churchgoers be forced to contribute to the support of churches?
Can you please show some evidence that shows that churches do not pay their water or sewer bills?
Where I used to live in NJ, all the services I mentioned were part of my property taxes, as far as I could determine the churches don't pay those taxes.
I live in NJ. I have never not gotten a water and sewer bill.
The Constitution only bars Congress from making laws about the establishment of religion, no where does it say churches should get a pass on paying for the municipal services they use that taxpayers foot the bill for, police, fire, water, sewer, sanitation, etc., etc., etc......................
Why should non-churchgoers be forced to contribute to the support of churches?
This is a solid argument.
I believe the general counter-argument is that they provide a societal good that merits tax exemption.
This would be the argument for any non-profit be it the NAACP, a church, American Cancer Society, shriners and so on and so forth.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
68,330 posts, read 54,400,252 times
Reputation: 40736
Quote:
Originally Posted by lkb0714
Can you please show some evidence that shows that churches do not pay their water or sewer bills?
Quote:
Originally Posted by lkb0714
I live in NJ. I have never not gotten a water and sewer bill.
In my former hometown sewer was part of my property tax bil along with trash pick up.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
