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Make the church be a dual corporation part non profit and part for profit. All charitable monies for programs must go and come from the non profit side and follow the non profit rules. Everything else, like salaries including what the pastor/preacher/whatever gets, is subject to the same double tax as corporations (when the church gets the money and when the pastor and other workers get paid).
To maintain the status as a church corporation all monies the church receive should be subject to a 30/70 split with 70 going to the non profit side. Violation of the terms reverts them to a regular corporation.
This is beneficial in several ways.
People can direct their money for church use or charitable use.
Churches that truly are charitable take a very small hit.
Churches that are about money, ie a business and nit really a church, must pay their share.
I believe Jesus said, "Render unto Ceaser what is Caesar's" or something to that effect.
Using your logic, the American Red Cross should pay income tax on the portion of its revenue used for salaries and other administrative expenses. And the Smithsonian Institution should have no exemption because it does no charitable work. Same goes for PBS.
If you're going to tax churches you have to tax everyone of them and any other non profit. That includes charities, youth organizations, <insert your favorite cause here>etc.
Yup. I'm sure those in favor of taxing churches would also be the first ones in line to push for taxing groups like PETA, Planned Parenthood, the Sierra Club, Media Matters, etc. right?
With all of the budget issues facing our government, isn't it time that we start taxing the churches? Perhaps not ALL churches, but megachurches that exceed a threshold amount of income, property wealth. These churches act just like businesses. They purchase radio/TV spots, newspaper/magazine ads, promotional events all in an affort to increase membership revenue. At my local Starbucks, I am constantly seated next to church laymen trying to brainstorm and hone their marketing message. It's no longer just preaching the word of God; it's a BUSINESS. It should be taxed like one.
How is it a business? Are they making a profit? A megachurch probably has 100K or more monthly operating costs. If you start taxing the churches then they have full right to endorse candidates for political office. This also means less money for charity and helping the needy.
Let's face it, many of these large churches are run for sole benefit of the people running them.
As I said above if you're going to remove the tax exempt status of churches we can't go picking winners and losers. If that's what we're going to do all churches along with any non profit need to be taxed, the non profits are abused just as much as the churches.
If you start taxing the churches then they have full right to endorse candidates for political office.
That is actually the point. Many already engage in politics. But, I'm taking this further... no special laws based on religion. If a church or a mosque runs a school or a hospital, treat it as a school or a hospital subject to same laws as any other.
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This also means less money for charity and helping the needy.
Why should churches or any organization be treated on this issue with special laws?
That is actually the point. Many already engage in politics. But, I'm taking this further... no special laws based on religion. If a church or a mosque runs a school or a hospital, treat it as a school or a hospital subject to same laws as any other.
Why should churches or any organization be treated on this issue with special laws?
What "special laws" are you talking about? Churches are subject to the same guidelines for federal tax exemption as any charitable, educational, scientific, or cultural non-profit organization.
Using your logic, the American Red Cross should pay income tax on the portion of its revenue used for salaries and other administrative expenses. And the Smithsonian Institution should have no exemption because it does no charitable work. Same goes for PBS.
Hmmm...
By charitable work I meant "public work." My bad...
I also did not expand on what I meant by church corporation.
I intended to make church corporations separate from regular non-profits.
American Red Cross isn't a church, nor is the Smithsonian...
What "special laws" are you talking about? Churches are subject to the same guidelines for federal tax exemption as any charitable, educational, scientific, or cultural non-profit organization.
The problems are with guidelines themselves. It is why we're having this discussion.
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