Posted on 07/18/2006 2:58:24 PM PDT by aceintx
Edited on 07/18/2006 3:04:41 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The Internal Revenue Service has been warning churches and nonprofit organizations that improper campaigning in the upcoming political season could endanger their tax-exempt status.
In notices to more than 15,000 tax-exempt organizations, numerous church denominations and tax preparers, the agency has detailed its new enforcement program, called the Political Activity Compliance Initiative, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.
Under the initiative, the IRS plans to expedite investigations into claims of improper campaigning, no longer waiting for an annual tax return to be filed or the tax year to end before launching a probe. A three-member committee will make an initial review of complaints and then vote on whether to pursue the investigation in detail.
"While the vast majority of charities and churches do not engage in politicking, an increasing number did take part in prohibited activities in the 2004 election cycle," IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson said in a statement. "The rule against political campaign intervention by charities and churches is long established. We are stepping up our efforts to enforce it
Since 2004, the IRS has investigated more than 200 organizations, including All Saints Church in Pasadena.
Two days before the 2004 presidential election, the Rev. George F. Regas, the church's former rector, delivered a guest sermon that pictured Jesus in a debate with George W. Bush and John Kerry. Although Regas didn't endorse a candidate, he said Jesus would have told Bush that his pre-emptive war policy "has led to disaster."
The church drew national attention when the Rev. Ed Bacon, rector of All Saints, disclosed the IRS investigation and later said the agency believed the church had violated federal tax code barring tax-exempt organizations from intervening in political campaigns and elections.
Church leaders have not heard from the IRS since October, when the agency said the investigation was being taken to a higher level, according to Regas. The IRS has not confirmed whether the investigation is still ongoing.
Of the 62 organizations determined by the IRS to be in violation, three lost their nonprofit status and 59 received warning letters. The three who lost their status were not churches, and some of those warned were ordered to pay an excise tax.
Federal law prohibits the IRS from releasing the names of those under investigation, but the agency said it has more than 100 cases pending and 40 of them are churches.
This month, OMB Watch, a Washington-based nonprofit government watchdog group, issued a report criticizing the IRS enforcement program and said the program could prompt retaliatory and harassment complaints unless the agency develops clear guidelines.
"I don't think this is a case of bad faith," said Kay Guinane, author of the report. "I just think it's a poorly structured program."
Members of a church can work actively in any campaign they wish, they can contribute money..up to 2000 each to a candidate. They can form a "joe smoe for President"committee..They cannot do so through a tax exempt organization or church.
My error "tax write off" not "right off".. We disagree.. Being tax exempt is a privilege.. because of our long held beliefs in God, church and charity.
Atheists would love for the churches to lose that exemption..and I don't want them to lose it..You obviously do not like election laws or tax codes..Write your Congressman.
I don't want my pastor, my Bishop or my church to tell me who to vote for...whether I agree with him or not.My vote is between God and me.
If it is a free speech issue, then both should be allowed to indoctrinate/teach/preach/promote/encourage any philosopy, morality, agenda.
The problem is not at all an issue of free speech, it's a matter of taxation.
Churches are tax-exempt as some sort of "gift" from the government? Schools are funded by taxpayers and pay no taxes; whereas, your taxdollars are used to promote the Liberal agenda in schools without your control over it, but this issue attempts to penalize contrary voices by taxing the crap out of 'em?
Why should tax-exempt status depend on the content of the speech?
"Why should tax-exempt status depend on the content of the speech?"
Well said Sloth
Bump
Did Jeremiah Wright’s congregation get a notice?
Interesting articles and comments from 2006 here.
Trump has said he will do away with this IRS provision limiting the free speech of churches.
Our GOP reps in Congress could have likewise all these years, just by adding one sentence to a bill or an appropriation.
But they did not.
Shows how useless the GOP has been.
Trump is singlehandedly saving it from extinction and they fight him every step of the way.
The exemption is barely worth it. It wouldn’t benefit most people. You’ll no longer be able to benefit from a church donation being deductible on schedule A if your deductions total more than the standard deduction ($12800 married filing jointly + $3900 per child)
So, if your deductions do total more than the standard deduction, And if you donate $3000 to church, for example, and your effective tax rate is 15%, then you are affected to the tune of 450 bucks.
Big deal. I’d rather be free.
450 bucks could also buy 30 ounces of silver
I’ve heard 30 pieces of silver somewhere else before
The Riverside Church in the City of New York, one of the nation’s most prominent and socially progressive Christian churches, is pleased to make a significant investment commitment to a social justice-based investment strategy intended to address the economic and social drivers of inequality in the country’s most neglected urban areas. The flash-points of Ferguson, Baltimore, Staten Island and Chicago gave new impetus to the imperative of community reinvestment as a sustainable asset class in Riverside’s balanced portfolio. . .Built by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and currently led by The Rev. Dr. Amy Butler, the interracial, interdenominational, and international church has long been a forum for important civic and spiritual leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, President Clinton, the Dalai Lama, and countless others. Visit www.trcnyc.org or find us on social media to learn more about our rich history and the latest news and events.
Katrina Anniversary To Be Remembered With Prayers And Special Guests
Senator Hillary Clinton will join the congregation in prayer and remeberance of Hurricane Katrina, one year later, during this Sunday's worship service.
Maranatha - L G B T Ministry of The Riverside Church NYC
Attacks on Obama Administration’s LGBT policy shames Christianity
Communist Led “Peace Movement” to Target US Military Budget
Guided by the Communist Party USA, the U.S. “peace movement” is entering a new phase.
The struggles against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will be de-emphasized, while focus will shift to a broad based campaign to cut U.S. military spending.
The Communists plan to exploit public concern over economic problems, to pressure the Obama administration to hugely cut back on defense spending, weapons systems and overseas commitments.
"[Communist Party USA vice chair, Judith] LeBlanc signals that the “peace movement’s” new direction will begin with a major campaign. Significantly May 1 [2010!], will be the kickoff date and New York’s far left Riverside Church will be the founding venue."
"There will be people from every continent here to participate in the non-governmental organization gatherings that will be going on, with an international conference happening at Riverside Church from April 30 to May 1 [communist "May Day"], and then marching on May 2."
--Judith LeBlanc, vice-chair Communist Party USA, 'national field organizer for Peace Action, the country’s largest grassroots peace organization with 100,000 members across the country', also co-founder of "United for Peace and Justice"
IPS’s [Institute For Policy Studies] Washington, DC headquarters quickly became a resource center for national reporters and a place for KGB agents from the nearby Soviet embassy to convene and strategize. Cora Weiss headed one of the IPS's most successful forays -- into Riverside Church in Manhattan. She was invited there in 1978 by the Reverend William Sloane Coffin to run the church's Disarmament Program, which sought to consolidate Soviet nuclear superiority in Europe -- in the name of "peace." In 1982 Weiss helped organize the largest pro-disarmament demonstration ever held. Staged in New York City, the rally was attended by a coalition of communist organizations. During her decade-long tenure at Riverside, which became home to the National Council of Churches, Weiss regularly received Russian KGB agents, Sandinista friends, and Cuban intelligence agents. Weiss became infamous for her role in the psychological warfare conducted against U.S. prisoners of war held in the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" during the Vietnam War.
The Liberation News Service, which is a news source for hundreds of "alternative" publications nationwide (with antiwar, Marxist-oriented perspectives), was founded in 1967 with IPS assistance."
[lots more at link...]
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6991
My post 137 was actually in response to your post 136 regarding Riverside Church in New York.
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