Post by Paddy by Grace on Apr 2, 2009 20:52:43 GMT -7
www.onenewsnow.com/Legal/Default.aspx?id=470742
Churches being targeted by tax collectorsCharlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 4/1/2009 5:40:00 AM
The Alliance Defense Fund has rescued a Minnesota church from taxation by a county government.
Ramsey County had demanded that 784 churches and nonprofits provide certain documentation or else risk losing their tax-exempt status. Joe Infranco is senior attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which intervened on behalf of Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church.
"There were some vacant pieces of property that the church was using for things like picnics or outdoor events or hiking or youth retreats, and the county seemed to be taking the position that just because you don't put buildings on the property, it's not a valid church use [and] we're going to take it off the tax rolls," he explains.
ADF sued and the Minnesota Tax Court ruled to halt taxes until the case was resolved. The county then settled the case.
Infranco points out the ruling does not mean all the churches will be left untouched. "Well, I think they've reversed themselves in this one case. I don't know that they're not going to try to enforce that against other nonprofits," he admits. "We'll have to see. That's unclear as of now."
He says if other churches find the tax collector knocking at the door, ADF is prepared to intervene if necessary.
Churches being targeted by tax collectorsCharlie Butts - OneNewsNow - 4/1/2009 5:40:00 AM
The Alliance Defense Fund has rescued a Minnesota church from taxation by a county government.
Ramsey County had demanded that 784 churches and nonprofits provide certain documentation or else risk losing their tax-exempt status. Joe Infranco is senior attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which intervened on behalf of Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church.
"There were some vacant pieces of property that the church was using for things like picnics or outdoor events or hiking or youth retreats, and the county seemed to be taking the position that just because you don't put buildings on the property, it's not a valid church use [and] we're going to take it off the tax rolls," he explains.
ADF sued and the Minnesota Tax Court ruled to halt taxes until the case was resolved. The county then settled the case.
Infranco points out the ruling does not mean all the churches will be left untouched. "Well, I think they've reversed themselves in this one case. I don't know that they're not going to try to enforce that against other nonprofits," he admits. "We'll have to see. That's unclear as of now."
He says if other churches find the tax collector knocking at the door, ADF is prepared to intervene if necessary.