Does any one know if churches normally have to pay property tax on undeveloped land that they own? In our case, the land will be used for our first building.
Andy
Taxing Churches
Discussion in '2004 Archive' started by aefting, Sep 27, 2004.
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In Cass County Missouri churches are required to pay property tax on undeveloped property. Once they start to develope the land it comes off the tax roll.
Richard -
If churches pay tax, why not have the government pay the pastors wages?
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What is the connection there, Ben?
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Here (Minnesota) we own several acres of undeveloped land across a road from the main church property. We intend to ultimately use this land for some type of future expansion. To my knowledge, the church doesn't owe or pay any taxes on it. -
In Arizona only the land that is being used for "religious purposes" are tax excempt. If the church owns land that it is not using, tax must be paid on it.
Bro Tony -
What qualifies for "religious purpose"? If you have a church picnic on it once or twice a year, or a youth outing, is it exempt? Do you konw what the standard is?
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Wisconsin had a 10-acre rule. A church could own 10 acres (assuming enough for building, parking, school, ball fields) and not pay tax. And acreage above that was taxable at the typical rate for the type of land.
We got 20+ acres for a new facility, and appealed and granted tax exemption for it all.
As a ministry, the church should not be taxed as it helps the community like a school, etc.
As a business (farming land, etc) it should be taxed as a business. -
That is a good question. In my experience being a pastor for over 20 years in the state of Arizona, the State pretty much takes the churches word for it. I have known churches that have undeveloped land next to the land they were using and because they were intending someday to use it they did not report it. Our church owned land adjacent to our buildings and there was a small house on it. We rented it to a family, and we paid taxes on that land. As our church grew, we had to have the family vacate the building and we began to use it for our offices. At that time we transfer it back to the status of non tax.
But as I said alot depends on the integrity of the church and pastor. If they are not completely truthful they could hold a picnic on the land once a year and get away with it. It really smacks of disobedience to what Jesus said, "...render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's".
Bro Tony -
Generally if a church isn't using land that it owns and it is undeveloped you pay taxes. We had to in New Mexico, once we built the new building we filed the proper papers and came off the tax roles. Not that unusal
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Bro Tony -
Resultingly if Christians are going to pay two sets of tax then the government might as well fund the pastors wages in churches as has been the case in history. At least then we could get rid of the money preachers in churches if all they got was the same as other pastors.
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Ben W,
This is what happens in Germany.(At least in the 70's) They pay a protestant or catholic tax. The problem is that the churches have no say who is a member of their church. As long as they pay the tax they can go to any church they want and the church has to accept them.
I do not want that type of control over the church I attend or pastor.
I have no problem paying tax on undeveloped land.
Richard -
Bro Tony </font>[/QUOTE]The government has no control over the church I attend. We are unregistered and do not pay taxes to the government. Remember, the power to tax is the power to control. -
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Our church gives a gift of $$ to the City earmarked for fire/police services that bless our body.
Issue: Where in the Bible does the "church" own property to be taxed, anyway?? -
Do you meet anywhere? Does the government know you exist? I can't believe the building you meet in is not taxed, if it is not an encorporated church. By the way the government doesn't tax our church either as we use all the land the Lord has blessed us with for His purpose. I will stand against any government interference in the church.
Bro Tony -
Bro Tony -
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