Churches tax free?

wut

 

All relative

 

how much $$

Saskquatch more or less answered

 

How much is my property taxes ?

 

you doin' bong hits or somethin'

 

I had no idea there where this many morons on TW. People complaining that those who take care of the poor (churches and other non-profits) need to be taxed twice are the same people that want the government to distribute wealth from the productive to the "needy". We've seen how good the government is at spending.

What we need is a flat tax: everyone pay something. If you're one of the 47% who get a net check from the government (usually from refundable tax credits), you shouldn't be allowed to vote or have any voice about what goes on in government.

"When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic."

Oh, and btw, non-for-profits are still able to make profits...it's kinda how they can sustain their programs to help the needy. Don't be so elementary.

 

Nope

 

Oh chit...

you went there

 

Larry , my property taxes are about $3500

 

that's not too bad (depending on the size home & location in your area)

also as you say, relative to what other tax liabilities you face. like sales tax rates...income tax rates and utilities. oh yeah the other dirty words "health insurance"

here, our property taxes are not too bad (yeah, they went through the roof during the boom). but we pay for private water & sewer service. and in my particular subdivision, the streets are private, so the county doesn't have to maintain them either.

most of our prop tax $$ goes to the school board. and we don't have kids. so I'm gettin screwed in that reguard. but, if the kids get a decent education and don't grow up dumb asses...I guess it's worth it.

 

My place is 2700sqft , 1.3 acres

Most of the tax goes to our municipal government , school and fire service

 

They get exemptions because they generate income for the area, in turn taxes are generated from there. Local governing body's contribute towards the final cost as an investment in future tax revenues.
I am handicapped, does that mean I get an exemption? My parents as well? Because I sure as shit have to pay, and my folks do too.

 

The problem with churches and taxes is different religions have differing levels of generosity. For example, Catholics take in a butt-load of cash, and spend a lot more on themselves than, say, the Salvation Army (where my wife belongs...I refer to it as "Baptist Light"). So would the answer not to be to tax them like any other corporation:ie your tax base is reduced based on the amount of charity or donations you give? Or even tax the net instead of the gross (forgetting the fact, of course, that tax laws would have to be re-written). So you tax after donations, prior to capital expenditures. That way, you're taxing on the money spent on self, yet not taxing the money they spend on "good".

Oh, as for tax base, Larry, just to give you an idea of my area. My house is somewhere around $300k, and we pay just over $4k. Move it to the town 20 minutes down the road, it's worth about $400k, yet I believe they pay less tax. Or move it down the highway to where I grew up, and it's probably less than $200k, but the taxes would be slightly less than $4k.

 

You're right. Churches are not non-profits. Instead, they're entities firmly protected by the First Amendment of this nation's Constitution. As for how they spend their money, that's their business, not mine or yours. How much have you spent helping the poor? Is it even close to what the churches in your neighborhood have spent? I certainly know I haven't spent, or done, as much.

 

I only have a problem with the churches who are not helping the poor, yet they are getting FAT on tax breaks while the idiots in DC drive us off a cliff. Yes it's hard for me to say I spend a lot of time helping the poor, but I have done it before and will do it again. I don't get a tax exemption, and I don't take donations.

 

Yet these same founding fathers (you say was deists) wrote the First Amendment protecting religion. If it was good enough for them, it's good enough for me.

 

The Declaration of Independence

IN CONGRESS, July 4, 1776.

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

 

you mean this one?
The First Amendment (Amendment I) to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering with the right to peaceably assemble or prohibiting the petitioning for a governmental redress of grievances
how is that relevant with regard to paying taxes real estate and profits?

 

Ya sure , but WHICH creator ?