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Question139

Do you think religious building such as churches, synagogues and mosques should be taxed?

• Place answers here

• I think they should be taxed. I do not see any reason why they shouldn't, its not like all the money they collect actually goes to where they say its going to go anyway. (Ernest Dumenig #1613)

• Absolutely. It's long past time to remove tax-exempt status from *all* religious institutions in the US. (Aside: If "taxation without representation is tyranny", what does that make "representation without taxation"?) (raven1 #375)

• Under the same laws as any other venture.

  If they want to claim to be a non-for-profit organization, then they should submit to all the laws relevant to that (including, but not restricted to, open audits). (Arturo Magidin #257)

• Yes. At least, property tax. I agree with many others who have already answered that they should be treated like a non-profit organization. Religions are like clubs. (Jim Hewes)

• Yes, they should. In Spain we have a curious situation regarding the RCC. Those buildings are property of the State, who cares for their maintenance as art works of the National Heritage. But the Church holds the exclusive usage for them without paying any rent. We are supposedly a non- confessional country, but the RCC holds a lot of privileges. They even organize visits to the most outstanding cathedrals (Seville, Burgos, Leon, Toledo, Santiago...) and they keep the money.

  Recently they restored the church in my parents' village. Not a great monument, but it's worth to maintain a building from the 17th century. It costed 80 million pesetas, around half a million dollars, and the church contributed with... a million pesetas, around six thousand dollars. The neighbors contributed 4 millions and the State put the rest. If this is not a shame, tell me what is. (Angel Arnal #1443)

• Yes. Not doing so violates the seperation of church and state. Religion is just another special interest group that politicians are afraid of and/or bought by. (ClayeSkye #4)

• Should they pay for city services, water, sewerage, trash collection - certainly. Should they pay tax on their income? Perhaps.

  If they can show that they are genuinely charitable institutions, then I think there's a case for reducing or omitting income tax, but not just for religious institutions - for any genuinely charitable institution, religious or not.

  That said, they should still pay their own way in the local community in which they reside, otherwise they are effectively taxing the local residents (stealing a donation?) whether the local residents approve of them or not. (Therion Ware #422)