Posted on 03/12/2011 8:56:52 AM PST by rawhide
In August, the small town just north of Kansas City passed the so-called “driveway tax,” a controversial charge, in addition to property taxes, for residents and businesses based on the number of times their driveway is used.
A big box store like Target can pay over $60,000 annually, while residents pay a flat rate of $72 dollars a year
The purpose of the “Transportation Utility Fee” is to raise money for public works projects in Mission like street construction and road repair
It’s unpopular among residents, some of whom have put up protest signs on their yards.
But it’s particularly controversial because the town has included churches in the program.
The Baptist church for instance has to pay 900 dollars a year, while the more popular St. Pius is charged $1700 a year.
Stanley, who is an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund, a national organization that protects religious rights, is now representing the two churches in a lawsuit against Mission.
He calls the revenue program “a tax on church attendance.”
“The city of mission is taxing churches based on the number of people that come in and out of their driveway, the number of people that come to church,” he said.
Mission’s Mayor Laura McConwell, who has overseen the proposal and implementation of the program disagrees.
“This is not a tax,” She said in a telephone interview. “This is a fee.”
Mission has maintained the town is simply charging a “fee for service. ” City officials say they charge similar fees for water and electricity.
“That is clever,” said Stanley. “But it’s not going to work.”
He says the charge is clearly a property tax issue, and he says any judge will see it that way. “This is not a fee for service,” he said. “This is a tax.”
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
This is not a tax? A Fee? Typical liberal response. A tax=fee=tax.
Insane!
This is terrible, whether it applies to churches or not! For what a business has to pay to comply with this madness, there are probably several people NOT working for each one to offset the costs.
Just more communists trying to discourage religion while supporting the glorious state.
Title reads “Taking Liberties”
Shouldn’t be “Taxing Liberties”
We got a new one in town - stormwater tax/fee/whatever....
Driveway tax? I’d turn it to grass and mow it.(probably a law against that...)
This is the tendency of all human governments. A departure from principle becomes a precedent for a second; that second for a third; and so on, till the bulk of society is reduced to mere automatons of misery, to have no sensibilities left but for sinning and suffering... And the fore horse of this frightful team is public debt. Taxation follows that, and in its train wretchedness and oppression." Thomas Jefferson
How does government know how many people attend each church? Are they watching and counting? That is certainly none of government’s business.
I understood church land is held under allodial title, meaning that they do not have to pay taxes like this.
In most states, property held by churches for the purpose of worship also has status similar to allodial title.
in all these cases, it is also clear that if the title ceases to be used for the purposes for which it was granted, it reverts to the state or the federal government.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allodial_title
What if I drive, but then park down the block on the street and walk in?
Never mind, let me keep this short and succinct: bugger-off big government!
Any mosques included in this tax?
That is exactly what it is.
"That is clever,” said Stanley. “But it’s not going to work.”
I would hope so, but, in today's political correctness climate, I would not count on it.
He says the charge is clearly a property tax issue, and he says any judge will see it that way. “This is not a fee for service,” he said. “This is a tax.”
Again, in today's political climate and the extent that the Democrats have corrupted the judiciary, I would not count on it.
LORD! FORGIVE THIS SERVANT OF SATAN AND CAUSE THE DEMON WITHIN HIM THAT MAKES HIM AN ABOMINATION IN YOUR SIGHT TO BEGONE!
A Modern day Temple Tax!
This is Mission, KS.
Mission, KS bureaucrats come up with another way to tax it’s citizens! Never underestimate the ability of bureaucrats to come up with more ways to take your money! They never eliminate taxes and fees only add new ones!
There is no guarantee that either a purchase or a donation is made every time a vehicle rolls over those driveways. How are they counting? Bizarre! Time to recall those who voted for such idiocy.
I'm told that is exactly what happened to a nearby city in our area when the goofball politicians tried to impose just such a tax.
So now they are parking on the streets and the city is maintaining their "driveways" for free.
You can't even get two cars through through the streets in opposite directions now that cars are parked on both sides.
And good luck to banning parking. The single home family neighborhoods of this area have now been transformed into multiple dwelling units, with an assortment of roommates, everyone of whom has cars to park. Even if you can find a parking spot, don't even try to take it. Someone will come flying out of one of the houses nearby telling you that spot is reserved for local residents. Some of them even emphasize the point by putting lawn chairs in the vacant parking spots.
They like this arrangement because it scares off prospective renters and keeps the rents low due to the high vacancy rate. Who is going to rent a place where they can't park?
The driveway tax is not a new idea. It is an old lefty idea dating back to the days when libtards thought anyone who could afford a car = can also afford a driveway = can also afford to pay a driveway tax.
The answer is simple. Drive to church and park in someone else’s driveway.
The town of Mission will have to hire driveway counters. Probably union and cost more than they raise in fees. This is how government grows.
When you hear a politician say he is going to create jobs he can’t order the private sector to hire more people. He has to make some new stupid law or rule and create government jobs.
Do you have the recall in Kansas?
The day will come when exercising or working hard will be too expensive.
Air will be taxed by the breath some day.
Unless you are one of the few who will be worthy of a tax waiver....
how can this be legal?.....taxing the cars in your driveway?......obscene...
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