Taking Liberties: Taxing Church Attendance?

FoxNews ^ | Feb 10, 2011 | Douglas Kennedy

[Innovative]

"The city of Mission is taxing churches," he said. "And that’s clearly unconstitutional."

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 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."

[Innovative]

Every time you think they can't come up with anything worse, they do...

Watch it go national...

[GeronL]

These days the first amendment only applies to perverts

[BenLurkin]

"driveway tax," for residents and businesses based on the number of times their driveway is used.

IS THIS A JOKE?

[Lurker]

"This is not a tax," She said in a telephone interview. "This is a fee."

If it's imposed by Government and backed up by the threat of force if you don't pay, it's a tax.

Period.

[Paladin2]

So, have they eliminated free parking along the streets too?

[Innovative]

“IS THIS A JOKE?”

I know it sounds like it, but unfortunately it is absolutely true. I saw it on Fox News earlier today and searched Google News and sure enough, it’s as real as death and taxes.

[meyer]

Church moves out of city limits, city loses tax dollars. Although, I do not think that this tax is constitutional.

[djf]

These people are getting desperate.

They gave to figure out a way to pay for all those six figure pensions.

[Cicero]

Will they tax homeowners double if their mothers-in-law move in? That would be the limit.

[Innovative]

On Foxnews they had an interview and it was said that they tax based on SEATS in the church, not even the cars in the driveway, so even if you had a 30% attendance, they have to pay as if they had 100%.

[Dem Guard]

Great, everybody park on the street!

[Innovative]

Another point — this article is about churches and it’s outrageous, but they are taxing businesses, which will hurt the economy and make it harder for employers to offer jobs.

[sionnsar]

Get a big bus and run it as a shuttle between the nearest Park&Ride and the church.

Of course, the greedy ones will find a way to shut that down.

[Innovative]

See my post 10 — they count the seats in the church, and charge accordingly, even if nobody shows up.

[Dem Guard]

So take out the chairs and use bean bags or mattresses.
(Do the Mussies avoid this tax with their rugs?)

[sionnsar]

but they are taxing businesses, which will hurt the economy and make it harder for employers to offer jobs.

Businesses will move outside of Mission and cut its "take" further.

[Paladin2]

So, how do these b0z0s get re-elected?

[Billthedrill]

“...or the free exercise thereof.” So unconstitutional it isn’t even funny. What a pity the regard for the Constitution is so low that it takes a court case to get two-bit tyrants to pay attention to it.

[sionnsar]

See my post 10 — they count the seats in the church, and charge accordingly, even if nobody shows up.

Okay. We quit scheduling services, therefore there is 0% utilization.

Or if they're going to charge for 100% utilization they need to guarantee 100% utilization. City councilmembers first to take up the slack. And no slipping out early -- you HAVE to stay for the sermon on Greed and Mammon.

/ s

[sionnsar]

So, how do these b0z0s get re-elected?

An Excess Of Liberals.