Atheist Senator Ernie Chambers Tells Religious Organizations: 'PAY YOUR TAXES'

[rug]

The Huffington Post | By Shadee Ashtari
Posted: 01/24/2014 1:42 pm EST | Updated: 01/24/2014 3:59 pm EST

Nebraska state Sen. Ernie Chambers’ new bill aimed at eliminating state property tax exemptions for religious organizations is set for review by the Legislature's Revenue Committee Friday.

Bill LB675, which was introduced by the openly atheist lawmaker on Jan. 8, attempts to “gain more revenue, rather than less, by taking away churches’ property tax exemptions,” according to Chambers’ Statement of Intent.

Although the measure will most likely be killed in committee, Chambers argued in the statement:

The Governor and candidates for governor have said that “everything should be on the table.” If taxes were paid on the many churches and cathedrals and temples in every city in this State, perhaps the State’s assistance to local governments and schools would be diminished considerably -- leaving more in State coffers for other purposes.

The popular Nebraska senator also advised religious organizations to “carry out the directives of Jesus who said, ‘Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s.'”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/24/ernie-chambers-tax-bill-religion_n_4659740.html?utm_hp_ref=politics

http://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/Current/PDF/Intro/LB675.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Chambers

Video at link.

[aristocles]

1. Amen

And Amen.

[ReasonableToo]

2. I SO agree - - -

If taxing churches/temples is not possible YET the start by making sure all the shopping malls and business parks and all the other real estate that the churches/temples have been scarfing up for YEARS are subject to the taxes that are supposed to be the life blood of the communities.

In place of tax-free all the time, let them itemize specific activities that benefit the ENTIRE community with NO discrimination against other religions (or non-religious) and folks like Salvation Army MUST have a non-discrimination policy that matches fed or state laws before that can claim any deductions.

[rurallib]

5. Seems to me like a quite reasonable compromise.

[ReasonableToo]

7. How I wish for a world where reasonable compromises are valued and the norm. :-) end

[cbayer]

3. I've gone back and forth on this, but at this point I think they should remove the

exemption.

If religious groups were to be treated exactly like all other 501( c)3's, a lot of the objection would be removed.

If the IRS were actually doing there job, it might not be an issue.

But they aren't.

That being said, this guy sounds really out there. He filed a lawsuit against god??

[CarrieLynne]

4. I always went to small churches as a kid but

my husband went to a 'mega church' and he said they had coffee shops and gift shops and all sorts of businesses inside...

but regardless...they are violating the church/state separation so they should lose it

[cbayer]

6. I am a preacher's kid and we always lived in the parsonage.

Nothing fancy, and there were no gift shops or other businesses.

There was a coffee shop, but it's objective was to provide a place for young people to hang out and also as a place for coordination during the anti-war protests.

At any rate, our home was used as a meeting place for lots of things, so the exemption made sense to me.

But I think it's become a problem in the ensuing years and it really needs to be reevaluated at this point.

[ninjanurse]

8. Big Church

I go to First UU in Providence, and if we had to pay the going tax rate on our historic church it would probably have to be sold for a museum. I'm within a block of a gorgeous gold-domed synagogue. These buildings contribute beauty to the neighborhood, and give back to the community.
I'm reading up on how L.Ron Hubbard, Warren Jeffs and Sun Myung Moon used the religious exemptions to facilitate organized crime while making unaccounted millions.
I'd be in favor of one standard for non-profits, religious or not, so that we have space for organizations that can exist outside the market. This would not be a problem for the majority of religious organizations that are ethical and accountable.

[cbayer]

12. I think there are some rules about buildings used by non-profits to provide services.

I may have this wrong, but I think it's the parsonage exemption that is the thing that distinguishes religious organizations.

[SoapBox]

9. Yes!

[tblue]

10. Can I be a church?

I could use some tax exemption.

Many churches are nothing but a cover for a racket. Someone once told me her pastor's wife had solicited donations to buy the pastor a Mercedes for his birthday. She asked the congregation to give in increments of $50, since it was his 50th birthday. Wasn't that sweet?

[cbayer]

11. What she did is in clear violation of the law.

The IRS's lax enforcement has led to these kinds of abuses.

Given an opportunity to abuse a system, someone always will.

[bkanderson76]

13. The Churches Don't Just Have Their Toes

in the political waters of America, they are floundering in it like a bass on a spring day. The religious organizations and churches within America today are well-oiled machines...for profit. This measure as proposed by Senator Chambers is not only justified but way overdue.

[cbayer]

14. Welcome to DU and to the Religion Group.

I know you have been a member for awhile, but welcome to posting.

Agree that some of the religious organizations and churches in the US are profitable ventures and should not be entitled to the tax breaks generally granted to non-profits.

The problem, imo, is lax IRS oversight and enforcement, but something clearly needs to be done.