Tax Churches Debate

7/26/2019 Tax Churches Debate

1/19

News

Church ready to pay taxes

Weekly ofering of the table, says church head

BY PAU !"N#Y Cri$e%Court Coordinator henryp&'a$aicaobser(er)co$

*onday, +ebruary -, ./0 . Co$$ents

W!12"))) we should pay our 3air share like e(erybody else

2!" 4a$aican church said yesterday it would ha(e no proble$ paying

property taxes, i3 the 5o(ern$ent asked it to pay up, as part o3 $easures

preparatory to an 1nternational *onetary +und 61*+7 pact)

8Whate(er tax the 5o(ern$ent 3eels that is reasonable 3or us to pay, we9ll

pay it,8 said #e( #ennard White, chair$an o3 the power3ul 4a$aica U$brella

5roups o3 Churches 64U5C7, which represents the large $a'ority o3 4a$aican

Christians)

1n an inter(iew with the 4a$aica :bser(er, White said; 8We should pay our

3air share like e(erybody else, and i3 the 5o(ern$ent decides to ask us to pay

taxes on property that church buildings are on then so be it)8

Currently, respecti(e churches pay tax on all other properties) Yesterday,

White was unable to gi(e specie(enth?day Ad(entist Church)


2/19

White said he was 8strongly inclined to belie(e8 that $e$ber?churches are up

to date with their property taxes)

White9s co$$ents 3ollowed a press release in which the 4U5C called on the

Portia >i$pson *iller?led Ad$inistration to i$ple$ent other cost?sa(ing

$easures such as reducing the si@e o3 the Cabinet, slashing salaries o3 *Ps,

as well as reducing the nu$ber o3 ad(isors to the 5o(ern$ent)

82he 4U5C there3ore appeals to our 5o(ern$ent, as it prepares 3or the next

national budget, to ha(e such actions i$ple$ented,8 said the release)

2he 4U5C9s release co$es on the heels o3 a )?billion tax packageannounced in Parlia$ent by +inance *inister Dr Peter Phillips last 2uesday)

2he package, which drew the ire o3 the :pposition and has been $et with

general shock and outcry by the public, includes increases in property and

education taxes, so$e Custo$s duties, as well as on taxes le(ied against

lottery winnings, and telephone calls) 1t also includes the li3ting o3 E billion

3ro$ the National !ousing 2rust o(er a 3our?year period)

2he $easure is geared at increasing public re(enues to secure an "xtended

+und +acility with the 1*+, a centrepiece o3 which is paying down 4a$aica9s

ballooning debt)

Yesterday, while White expressed a willingness on the part o3 $e$ber

churches to start paying tax on properties on which their sanctuaries are

located, the issue o3 taxing weekly oferings re$ained a no?no)

White argued during the inter(iew with the :bser(er that taxing oferings

would a$ount to double taxation as the gi(ers9 inco$es would ha(e already

been taxed at source)

White was keen to add that the church deduct, and pay o(er to the >tate, the


3/19

reFuired taxes 3ro$ persons e$ployed by the church)

http;%%www)'a$aicaobser(er)co$%news%Church?ready?to?pay?taxesG0E.H0

:::::::::

Church, prostitutes and $ore ? the next tax 3rontier

Published;*onday I April .-, ./ I .;// A*

Dr *ichael Abraha$s ? +ile

By *ichael Abraha$s, :nline Colu$nist

2here goes Peter Phillips again, sha3ting us with his big package) 2ax

package, that is)

2he recently announced withdrawal tax has got to be one o3 the $ost

unpopular and re(iled econo$ic $easures e(er proposed in the history o3

4a$aica) *any o3 us, including the pri$e $inister, appear to be da@ed and

con3used by it) 1t has been roundly re'ected by the citi@enry, includingbusiness leaders and ci(il?society groups) According to the leader o3 the

:pposition, Andrew !olness, the tax would 8disincenti(ise businesses8 and

open the door to other 8bra@en and thoughtless tax i$positions under the

guise o3 passing so$e 1*+ test8)

1t is easy to criticise and re'ect the withdrawal tax, but what are the

alternati(esJ As a concerned citi@en, 1 would like to ofer $y two cents9 worth

6which will probably be taxed7 regarding $easures to ease the country9s

al$ost .?trillion debt) 1n this regard, 1 ha(e 3our suggestions 3or seriousconsideration)

#"1N2#:DUC" U>"# +""> +:# PUB1C !"A2! CA#"
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Church-ready-to-pay-taxes_13665273http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Church-ready-to-pay-taxes_13665273


4/19

We are an i$po(erished nation and need to awaken 3ro$ our delusions o3

grandeur and accept the 3act that we cannot aford to $aintain 3ree health

care in the long ter$)

A Caribbean Policy #esearch 1nstitute re(iew o3 our public health syste$,

undertaken in ./0, 3ound the Fuality o3 ser(ice to be worse since the 3ee?

less policy had been instituted in April .//-) 2he syste$ was 3ound to be

inefecti(e, ineKcient and exceedingly slow)

Yes, there are $any destitute persons who present the$sel(es 3or health

care, but paying a $ini$al 3ee is not unreasonable to reFuest and would ease

the burden on the 5o(ern$ent to pay health pro3essionals and to pay 3or

utilities, drugs, $edical supplies and in(estigations)

"5A1>", #"5UA2" AND 2AL *A#14UANA

2he legalisation o3 $ari'uana has the potential to generate signitates;

+ollowing legalisation in Colorado, U>)H $illion was collected in tax

re(enue in 'ust the M- $illion pro'ected in

the upco$ing / $illion is to be used 3or public?

school construction, while in Cali3ornia, $edical $ari'uana dispensaries

generate U>/E $illion in sales tax annually) :n the other hand, $ari'uana

prohibition costs state and 3ederal go(ern$ents U>H) billion e(ery year)

"5A1>", #"5UA2" AND 2AL P#:>212U21:N

2he world9s oldest pro3ession isn9t going away anyti$e soon) Prostitution is

legal in the Netherlands, >wit@erland and 5er$any, a$ong other countries) 1n

the abo(e$entioned, sex workers are regularly tested 3or sexually

trans$itted in3ections and the syste$ is regulated) 2he legal prostitution

industry in Netherlands generates U>-// $illion 6.E $illion euros7 a year,

the tax rate 3or sex workers being 00 per cent) 1n >wit@erland, prostitutes pay


5/19

A2 6(alue added tax7 on their ser(ices and so$e accept credit cards) 61

wonder how they swipe the$)7

2AL C!U#C!">

4a$aica has the $ost churches per sFuare $ile 6$ake that per sFuare inchO7

in the world, with e(en $ore churches being built as you read this article)

:ne argu$ent that is used to de3end their tax?exe$pt status is that they are

charitable organisations, but they do not all possess that $indset)

1 know a de(out $e$ber o3 a particular church who has been paying tithes

and oferings 3or $any years) >he 9buys and sells9 3or a li(ing, and when hercar trunk was broken into and her goods stolen and she went to her church

3or atan) But in ti$es like these, we $ust think outside the

box, exa$ine our options dispassionately, and engage in ob'ecti(e debate i3

we are to claw our way out o3 our


6/19

ooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Business

5o(ern$ent planning to tax churches, charitiesJ

Wednesday, +ebruary 0, ./0 Co$$ents

Print this page "$ail A +riendO

"1*1NA21N5 discretionary wai(ers altogether could return billion in

re(enue to the 5o(ern$ent)

But the tax breaks, which are appro(ed a3ter applications are considered by

the


7/19

depart$ent,8 he said in a pre?recorded speech, which was broadcasted

*onday night)

1t is not clear how benei$ilarly, 3or the ./%./.


8/19

//////////

#: 6yes7 C:N 6no7

"rik >tanley, 4D, >enior egal Counsel with Alliance De3ending +reedo$,stated in his *ar) H, ./. post titled 8>hould Churches Be 2ax "xe$ptJ8 on

Alliance De3ending +reedo$9s 8>peak Up8 blog;

82here are (ery sound and (alid reasons 3or church tax exe$ption))) 2he

social bene


9/19

2he botto$ line is that i3 historic churches like the one 1 ser(e had to pay

property taxes, $any o3 us would close) 2he liberal, di(erse, urban churches

in historic buildings would be priced out, and the newer, suburban $ini$all

churches would be the church o3 the 3uture) 2hey are not always, but tend to

be, o(erwhel$ingly conser(ati(e) 1n the political arena, the right de3ends its

agenda by that sa$e conser(ati(e Christian language) 2he Christian centerand le3t are a $inority whose 3aith de$ands they work toward a $ore 'ust or

co$passionate society, and $any o3 us are also the stewards o3 pri$e real

estate)

:ur tax?exe$pt status gi(es $inority (iews a space to seed and grow,

o3ten ahead o3 the political culture)8

*ay /, ./. ? Winnie arghese, *Di(

*ark ) #ien@i, 4D, >enior Counsel at the Becket +und 3or #eligious iberty,

stated in his *ay /, ./. NY2i$es)co$ article titled 85ood 3or #eligion,

5ood 3or A$erica8;

8#eligious exe$ptions are an essential part o3 our de$ocracy) 2hey pro(ide

breathing space 3or religious indi(iduals and institutions to exist) 2hey bene


10/19

Wal@ () 2ax Co$$ission o3 the City o3 New York, the U> >upre$e Court case

whose H? $a'ority opinion dated *ay , MH/ was written by Chie3 4ustice

Warren ") Burger, stated;

8)))R+Sor the $en who wrote the #eligion Clauses o3 the +irst A$end$ent,

the 9establish$ent9 o3 a religion connoted sponsorship,


11/19

8)))R2Sax exe$ption is not so$ething churches 6or any nonproo$e ha(e co$plained that it is 9unconstitutional9 to exe$pt churches 6or

$osFues, synagogues, te$ples, and so 3orth7 3ro$ taxation) 1t isn9t) >o long

as go(ern$ent does not show 3a(oritis$ by picking and choosing which


12/19

religions 6or deno$inations7 to exe$pt and which to tax, there is no

9respecting an establish$ent o3 religion9 and there3ore no Constitutional

proble$)))

+inally, despite the clai$s o3 so$e, exe$pting churches 3ro$ taxation is

not the sa$e as a subsidy) 13 1 do not take / 3ro$ your wallet, 1 a$ not

9gi(ing9 you / ? 1 a$ letting you keep what is yours) 6:r in the case o3

churches, what was donated)7 13 1 hand you a / bill and you place it in your

wallet, that is a subsidy) Church $e$bers are already taxes RsicS, both on

inco$e and property so there is no need to tax the $oney twice)8

4une ., .//M ? >cott 2ibbs

Don Boys, PhD, e(angelist and 3or$er U>A 2oday colu$nist, stated in his

MMH article 8>hould Churches Pay 2axesJ,8 posted on the Cornerstone

Co$$unications U>A 6Co$$on >ense 3or 2oday7 website;

8When there was discussion about bringing churches under the new >ocial

>ecurity syste$ in the days o3 President +ranklin #oose(elt, he Fuickly

replied, 9But that would be taxing 5odO9 And so it would)))

)))Churches should not pay taxes because the go(ern$ent does not ha(e

the authority to de$and itO

Does not the Constitution clearly prohibit the go(ern$ent 3ro$ $aking any

law restricting religionJ Does not the ability to tax actually $ean the ability to

control Q or destroyJ 1 thought $ost o3 us belie(ed in the separation o3 church

and state 6but not separation o3 5od and state7, but i3 so, how can any

go(ern$ent entity presu$e to tax the churchJ A3ter all, a 9higher9 alwaystaxes a 9lower,9 and will any Bible belie(er $aintain that go(ern$ent is o(er

the Church o3 the i(ing 5odJ 1 thought Christ was pree$inent o(er all)8

MMH ? Don Boys, PhD


13/19

4ohn *) +arley, 3or$er Archbishop o3 New York, wrote in his -M article 8Why

Church Property >hould Not Be 2axed,8 reproduced at Archi(e)org;

82he people see that church property is really, in the point o3 use, their

property, and that it would be as sensible to tax the New York City !all and

Central Park as to tax the churches))) 2he churches are as 3ree to the public

as the city buldings they ha(e been built 3or the use o3 the people, with the

people9s $oney and they are still supported by (oluntary oferings) 2hey are

kept open to suit the necessity and con(enience o3 the public, and all their

ser(ices are 3or the $ultitude) 1t $ay be said in 3act that the churches are

$ore truly the property o3 the people in point o3 use than e(en the city

oKces, 3or in the churches they are always welco$e, and it is not 3or the

co$3ort and happiness o3 the clergy that these buildings are erected, but

solely 3or the people, a3ter the


14/19

A tax beneociety, stated in his Apr) E,

./. op?ed titled 8Why Are Churches 2ax?exe$ptJ8 and posted on

aCrosse2ribune)co$;

82he proble$ with granting tax?exe$pt status to religions and churches as

a rule, is that now we ha(e put the go(ern$ent in the role o3 deter$ining

what is a religion and what is not) WhoVs to say that a gathering in so$eoneVs

li(ing roo$ e(ery >unday to discuss 5od is not a religious ser(iceJ

>hould this ho$e be exe$pt 3ro$ property taxes, as are thousands o3

churches, te$ples and $osFues across this countryJ !ow $any $e$bers

does a group ha(e to ha(e to be considered a tax?exe$pt religionJ *ore to

the point, are these Fuestions that we want our go(ern$ent askingJ)))

+or e(ery house o3 worship that is exe$pt 3ro$ property taxes, taxpayers

ha(e to pay $ore than they would ha(e i3 a residence or business were on

that sa$e piece o3 land) Do churches not bene


15/19

Apr) E, ./. ? 4ere$y +e'3ar, Phar$D

#yan 2) Cragun, PhD, Assistant Pro3essor o3 >ociology at the Uni(ersity o3

2a$pa, and 3or$er Uni(ersity o3 2a$pa students >tephanie Yeager and

Des$ond ega, stated in their report titled 8!ow >ecular !u$anists 6and

"(eryone "lse7 >ubsidi@e #eligion in the United >tates,8 published in the 4une?

4uly ./. issue o3 +ree 1nFuiry $aga@ine;

8While so$e people $ay be bothered by the 3act that there are pastors

who li(e in $ulti$illion dollar ho$es, this is old news to $ost) But here is

what should bother you about these expensi(e ho$es; You are helping to pay

3or the$O You pay 3or the$ indirectly, the sa$e way local, state, and 3ederal

go(ern$ents in the United >tates subsidi@e religion=to the tune o3 about H

billion e(ery year)))

!ypothetically, the leader o3 a drug cartel could ha(e one o3 his lieutenants

start a church and


16/19

Willia$ :) Douglas, B, 3or$er U> >upre$e Court Associate 4ustice, wrote in

his dissenting opinion in Wal@ () 2ax Co$$ission o3 the City o3 New York,

decided *ay , MH/;

813 history be our guide, then tax exe$ption o3 church property in this

country is indeed highly suspect, as it arose in the early days when the

church was an agency o3 the state)))

Churches, like newspapers also en'oying +irst A$end$ent rights, ha(e no

constitutional i$$unity 3ro$ all taxes)))

13 belie(ers are entitled to public


17/19

1n -E/, 1 belie(e, the church property o3 the United >tates which paid no

tax, $unicipal or >tate, a$ounted to about -0,///,///) 1n -/ the a$ount

had doubled in -HE it is about ,///,///,///) By M//, without check, it is

sa3e to say this property will reach a su$ exceeding 0,///,///,///) >o (asta su$, recei(ing all the protection and benetates, there is scarcely a li$it to the wealth that $ay be acFuired by

corporations, religious or otherwise, i3 allowed to retain real estate without

taxation) 2he conte$plation o3 so (ast a property as here alluded to, without

taxation, $ay lead to seFuestration without constitutional authority and

through blood)

1 would suggest the taxation o3 all property eFually, whether church or

corporation, exe$pting only the last resting place o3 the dead and possibly,

with proper restrictions, church edi) 5rant

4a$es A) 5artates, was Fuoted in the U>Congressional #ecord o3 -H, a(ailable on the U> Depart$ent o3 >tate9s

1n3oU>A website, as stating;

82he di(orce between Church and >tate ought to be absolute) 1t ought to

be so absolute that no Church property anywhere, in any state or in the

nation, should be exe$pt 3ro$ eFual taxation 3or i3 you exe$pt the property

o3 any church organi@ation, to that extent you i$pose a tax upon the whole

co$$unity)8

-H ? 4a$es A) 5ar


18/19

ittle Blue Book No) E/., edited by ") !alde$an?4ulius, a(ailable at the

>ecular Web 61ntates is said to be worth about 3our billion

dollars, and it is increasing rapidly in (alue))) 2he anachronis$ is that city

property o3 i$$ense (alue is used by only about a tenth o3 the taxpayers o3

this city, yet the nine?tenths la@ily subsidi@e it by re$itting taxation)))8

M0/ ? 4oseph *cCabe

awrence >ager, B, the Alice 4ane Drysdale >heKeld #egents Chair at the

Uni(ersity o3 2exas >chool o3 aw, and Christopher ) "isgruber, 4D, Pro(ost o3

Princeton Uni(ersity, wrote in their *ay M, ./. NY2i$es)co$ article titled

8DonVt Play +a(orites8;

8R1S3 we selecti(ely con3er bene


19/19

*ay M, ./. ? awrence >ager, B

Christopher ) "isgruber, 4D

#ichard Dawkins, DPhil, D>c, 3or$er Charles >i$onyi Pro3essor o3 the Public

Understanding o3 >cience at the Uni(ersity o3 :x3ord and author o3 2he 5od

Delusion, stated in his 4uly , ./. Washington Post op?ed titled 8DonVt Need

5od to Be 5ood or 5enerous8;

8RCShurches RbeingS auto$atically classi

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Tax Churches Debate