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Taking Liberties: Taxing Church Attendance?
foxnews.com ^ | 3-10-11 | Douglas Kennedy

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 ...


TOPICS: Religion
KEYWORDS: attendance; church; churchandstate; corruption; drivewaytax; fraud; govtabuse; highwayrobbery; tax; taxes
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To: rawhide
All money rightfully belongs to government officials and employees.

And anyone who disagrees is a racist.

21 posted on 03/12/2011 9:55:24 AM PST by E. Pluribus Unum ("If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun." -- Barry Soetoro, June 11, 2008)
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To: ReverendJames; The Comedian

The difference between a fee and an outright tax is you can put additional taxes (sales, etc) on top of a fee bill.


22 posted on 03/12/2011 9:57:03 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The biggest waste of brainpower is to want to change something that's not changeable. -Albert Brooks)
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To: rawhide

If there is going to be a tax assessed based on traffic in and out of a driveway, how much does each polling center need to pay on election day?


23 posted on 03/12/2011 9:58:27 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The biggest waste of brainpower is to want to change something that's not changeable. -Albert Brooks)
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To: EGPWS

Because I’m the TAXMAN!
Yeah yeah, I’m the TAXMAN....


24 posted on 03/12/2011 9:59:20 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The biggest waste of brainpower is to want to change something that's not changeable. -Albert Brooks)
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To: iowamark

They might be counting and watching. Of course, the salaries for the counters and watchers are probably twice the expected revenue, but at least they provided employment for someone.


25 posted on 03/12/2011 10:02:26 AM PST by ken in texas (Can't Afford a Tagline... send money.)
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To: rawhide
1) Aren't driveways part of your property and should already be covered by the property tax? Or is a driveway considered an "improvement" and subject to extra tax?

2) Find a Planned Parenthood or mosque nearby and park there (but I'm sure the elected monkeys have thought of that and exempted them! If so, there's the basis for a lawsuit).

3) (more of 2...) Are there any mosques in the town? Are they subject to the ordinance? If so, get the muzzies reactions and take it to the city council. I'm sure they'll rescind it pronto (don't want to hurt muzzie feelings, ya' know, might lose your head!). If they take a president zero approach and exempt only the muzzies, well... recall and run them out of town!

26 posted on 03/12/2011 10:14:35 AM PST by jeffc (Prayer. It's freedom of speech.)
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To: rawhide

Nothing is a tax to a socialist.

They need to take money from others to pay for PBS, NPR and bonuses for union bosses...and on...and on...and on.


27 posted on 03/12/2011 10:15:14 AM PST by TribalPrincess2U (They don't need to do another 911. They have BHO and the Fleebaggers.)
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To: TribalPrincess2U

Add Mooschelle’s handbags to that.


28 posted on 03/12/2011 10:16:53 AM PST by TribalPrincess2U (They don't need to do another 911. They have BHO and the Fleebaggers.)
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To: a fool in paradise

I have to pay a fee to get my vehicle tabs which is three bucks on top of the 86 I pay for them.


29 posted on 03/12/2011 10:18:19 AM PST by ReverendJames (Only A Painter Or A Liberal Can Change Black To White.)
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To: rawhide

What gets lost in all these like situations is that your next door neighbor could be the one laying all these ‘fees’ on you. These actions to pick your wallets don’t come down from God. The same realization goes all the way up to congress. It all goes to show that once your neighbor is given some means to gouge you don’t expect any thing anymore or less than a used car dealer would treat you. By the way we have tremendous neighbors and associations. It’s the man/women far up the street with whom I have doubts that he cares anything for me.


30 posted on 03/12/2011 10:23:48 AM PST by noinfringers2
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To: rawhide

What gets lost in all these like situations is that your next door neighbor could be the one laying all these ‘fees’ on you. These actions to pick your wallets don’t come down from God. The same realization goes all the way up to congress. It all goes to show that once your neighbor is given some means to gouge you don’t expect any thing anymore or less than a used car dealer would treat you. By the way we have tremendous neighbors and associations. It’s the man/women far up the street with whom I have doubts that he cares anything for me.


31 posted on 03/12/2011 10:24:08 AM PST by noinfringers2
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS

Yes, we have recall in KS.


32 posted on 03/12/2011 10:28:19 AM PST by KansasGirl
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To: ReverendJames

My $25 phone bill (monthly fee) has an additional $35 in taxes and fees added on (for no long distance calls or additional phone services apart from “911 support”).


33 posted on 03/12/2011 10:30:16 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The biggest waste of brainpower is to want to change something that's not changeable. -Albert Brooks)
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To: a fool in paradise

Fully half of my phone bill is taxes and fees.


34 posted on 03/12/2011 10:35:06 AM PST by ReverendJames (Only A Painter Or A Liberal Can Change Black To White.)
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To: a fool in paradise

Fully half of my phone bill is taxes and fees.


35 posted on 03/12/2011 10:36:16 AM PST by ReverendJames (Only A Painter Or A Liberal Can Change Black To White.)
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To: ReverendJames

Yep mine used to be that way. I am not trying to say this is the best but I use Net10 I can buy 60 days service of 300 minutes for $30 or 1 months for $15 of 150 minutes works for me and I have as good reception as anyone.


36 posted on 03/12/2011 10:44:24 AM PST by Lees Swrd ("Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe and preserve order in the world as well")
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To: ReverendJames

Until recently, one of them was a “soak the rich” tax dating back to the Spanish-American War leveraged against those who made long distance phone calls. Funding of the war certainly must be over now and long distance calls are commonplace but it was hundred year “fee”.

And what will become of Al Gore’s internet tax (for low income homes to get on the web) on everyone’s phonebill?

16 years and they still need “assistance”?

Go to the frickin’ library. I don’t even have internet at home.


37 posted on 03/12/2011 10:49:41 AM PST by a fool in paradise (The biggest waste of brainpower is to want to change something that's not changeable. -Albert Brooks)
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To: Lees Swrd

I have a TRAK phone from Walmart. I pay 10 bucks for 100 minutes per month. I don’t use it that much so I’ve got like 972 mins available. I use ClearWire for my internet.


38 posted on 03/12/2011 11:06:43 AM PST by ReverendJames (Only A Painter Or A Liberal Can Change Black To White.)
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To: rawhide

Wait, who owns the driveway?


39 posted on 03/12/2011 11:34:20 AM PST by WinOne4TheGipper (If the Klan killed 60% of black babies, it would be genocide, when the left does it, its "choice".)
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To: iowamark

IRS, deductions.


40 posted on 03/12/2011 11:44:13 AM PST by ThisLittleLightofMine
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