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Taxes and churches

Discussion in 'Political Debate & Discussion' started by Salty, Apr 8, 2012.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Suppose your town provided "free" garbage pickup service.

    The town then decides to charge each home / business a fee - say $25 for the service. And this fee would be applicable to all non-profits including churches.

    Then Pastor Mitchell gets a large group of people to believe that $25 is nothing more than a ploy to get churches to pay a tax.
    Would you join in with Pastor Mitchell?

    How about other services the city directly provides. Should churches help reduce the tax burden.

    Here in Syracuse NY, 50% of the City real property is taxed exempted due to the large number of tax exempted schools, hospitals, govt agys, churches and other non-profits. The bottom line is that tax paying citizens are in essence paying double taxes.

    Thoughts?
     
  2. Arbo

    Arbo Active Member
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    Thoughts- Here we go again.
     
  3. targus

    targus New Member

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    And in some towns residents pay next to no taxes because of the big company that is paying so much.

    As to the hypothetical in the OP there are a couple of options...

    Run for local office.
    Propose something to put on the ballot to change things.
    Move to another town.
     
  4. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    I think the issue of church taxation will soon come to a head and we might well see many ministries and churches get taxed...primarily because of the extravagant excesses of some mega-ministries that are corrupting the Word and displacing honest worship.

    I am not opposed to churches and ministries (as well as other non-profits) being asked to pay for some basic muncipality services. Our church has contracted with a private company for trash pick up, but that is how everyone does it in our region.

    However, I remain opposed to churches and non-profits being taxed on their income. That is just plain wrong.
     
  5. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    What does the majority of that town want? That is what should be done.
     
  6. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Interesting recommendation.

    However, in our county (population 500,000) there are over 50 Roman Catholic churches. At least 1/3 of them are inside the city limits of Syracuse (population 140,000) In addition the Diocese is located in the City. Bottom line - if the City tried to pass an ordinance for churches to pay some tax (service fee) there would be quite an uproar.
     
  7. freeatlast

    freeatlast New Member

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    I am personally in favor of doing away with all deductions or exemptions of any kind, but I never want to surrender the choice/authority of the majority for what the minority feels is right even though the desires of the majority is seldom practiced today.
     
  8. targus

    targus New Member

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    I don't think that I have ever seen regular garbage cans sitting outside of a church in a city.

    Don't most have a large dumpster and a contract with a private refuse collection company.

    This sounds like a non-issue to me.
     
  9. Bro. Curtis

    Bro. Curtis <img src =/curtis.gif>
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    We take our trash to the dump.

    Well, transfer station, to be exact.
     
  10. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    I have seen trash cans outside a church. However, that is a local issue.

    But lets not make this only a "trash pickup" thread. There are other services that a church receives that may be paid for by taxes. How about fire protection - can you think of any other?
     
  11. targus

    targus New Member

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    The local church is made of up local residents.

    When I pay my property taxes on my house the services such as police and fire protect my church as well.

    I am already paying for it.

    Or do you think that people from outside your taxing authority are being bussed into churches to enjoy the trash pick up, fire and police services without paying for them?
     
  12. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    The local Ford Dealership is made of up local residents.

    When I pay my property taxes on my house the services such as police and fire protect the Ford Dealership as well.

    I am already paying for it.

    Or do you think that people from outside my taxing authority are driving into my Ford Dealership to enjoy the trash pick up, fire and police services without paying for them?

    Remember the more taxes the Ford Dealership pay, the more we have to charge.
    Just Saying
     
  13. targus

    targus New Member

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    There is probably a single owner of your local Ford dealership - and yes it's customers very often come from far away.

    Apples and oranges.
     
  14. billwald

    billwald New Member

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    The parts of the church complex which provide a service to the general public should be treated the same as other charities. The functions which raise money should be taxed. Old church buildings with architectural value should get a tax break. Financial contributions should be treated same as little league or symphony contributions.

    A church should pay for services received from the city - police, fire, water, garbage. Most every thing connected with real estate. Church buildings don't produce children or get sick so should be exempt from school and hospital levies.
     
  15. seekingthetruth

    seekingthetruth New Member

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    Paying for government services is not a tax.

    John
     
  16. seekingthetruth

    seekingthetruth New Member

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    When you are traveling, are you not protected by the police and fire departments of every town you go through? Yet you dont pay taxes there.

    My point is that police and fire are community services and not individual services. Everyone in that community gets the same service no matter how much or how little taxes they pay.

    However, trash, water, sewer, ect are provided specifically to the church, and the church is responsible for what they use. But it's not a tax.

    John
     
  17. carpro

    carpro Well-Known Member
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    Garbage is a service. Churches should pay for it, just as they do for electricity and water.

    Taxes are a different matter. I believe that, under our constitution, the government has no authority over the church, just as the church has no authority over the government. The ability to tax is a kind of authority. Therefore, no taxes.

    Other non-profits have no such constitutional protection.

    IMHO
     
  18. TCassidy

    TCassidy Late-Administator Emeritus
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    Our church pays around $1600 per year for the services provided by the county which does not include water, trash pick-up, fire inspections, etc. We pay for all of that.

    When we say that churches are "tax exempt" it only refers to income taxes. As churches are non-profit, and income taxes are paid on profits, it doesn't take a genius to see that the reason churches don't pay taxes on profits is that they have no profits!
     
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