A Lake Bluff resident said he converted this $3 million estate into the Armenian Church of Lake Bluff so his ailing wife and daughter can worship.
Posted on 07/18/2008 8:38:37 AM PDT by Between the Lines
When George Michael placed a cross on the side of his lakefront mansion, neighbors assumed the decoration was simply a display of the man's religious faith.
What his neighbors didn't know is that Michael had decided to convert his $3 million residence into the Armenian Church of Lake Bluff, qualifying him for a nearly $80,000 break on his annual property tax bill.
Now, locals are questioning whether the property is a church at all. Village officials wonder how they'll be able to make up the lost revenue, and residents worry that their share of the tax burden will grow as a result.
Meanwhile, Lake Bluff officials notified Michael that if he is running a church, he'll need to pay more than $115,000 in fines for failing to get the village's permission, setting up a possible court battle.
"It's a honkin' house," said Shields Township Assessor Teresia Yakes, who recently appraised the Michael mansion.
With "No Trespassing" and "Private Property" signs everywhere, the Shore Acres subdivision looks like an unlikely place to open a church.
Michael told state officials last month that he began his North Shore congregation more than a year ago after he got a pastor's degree from an online religious site.
While only a handful of close friends and family attend the church, Michael opened his house of worship to spare his disabled wife the hardship of having to travel to practice her religion, attorney Mark Belongia said.
"He's a devoutly religious man, as is his family, and this is the best and only way for them on a weekly basis to practice their faith," Belongia said.Neighbors said they have never seen evidence of Sunday services held at the home. Village officials said Michael didn't approach them about special permits he would need to open a new church.
(Excerpt) Read more at chicagotribune.com ...
Ah, not the George Michael who sings then...
Is this designation compatible with the Land Use Zoning Code?
The dilemma of whether or not a church should remain tax exempt is a problem created by the unspoken assertion that the State has divine pre-eminence over the Church. Thus, tax-exempt status is something that must be applied for - or can be withheld by - the State, in an act asserting the State's unspoken doctrine of pre-eminence over churches in general.
Further, the State's tax rate on citizens is actually higher than the Old Testament's requirement of a tithe (10%) to be paid to God via the Church. And the State requires it's money to be collected first, in the form of withholding. Pre-eminence again.
The State won't stop muzzling churches, until the State first recognizes the pre-eminence of God over the State itself - and then recognizes the co-sovereignty of the Church, in addition to the State's own sovereignty, over it's citizens
This guy’s holding a house church, like thousands of others across the nation. His house is overwhelmingly a dwelling, not a place of worship.
No way does his house qualify for tax-exempt status.
However, if there are donations to the church, those would be tax-exempt.
Fascinating idea. That the state has an interest in private property (deeding, zoning, taxing, regulating, etc.) and refrains from interest in religion creates a thicket of challenges given that churches own property.
The state has no business in deciding what is and what isn’t a church. Or does it?
Seems to me that zoning regulations are themselves a violation of the free-exercise clause, yet local governments manipulate the free exercise of religion everyday when they manipulate church property desires.
And... The mainline denominations, and their thousands of local churches, have been feeding a lobbying enterprise for years. This “substantial lobbying” should disqualify them for tax-exempt status under federal and state tax laws. If the law was followed and mainline lobbying recognized as such.
A Lake Bluff resident said he converted this $3 million estate into the Armenian Church of Lake Bluff so his ailing wife and daughter can worship.
Please explain why. Is it written in the tax code (or elsewhere) that 501c(3)'s may not petition the government? Do you feel the same about other "tax-exempt" organizations (like Planned Parenthood, United Way, Red Cross, etc.)? Do you feel that you should give up your constitutional right to freely petition the government when you gain tax-exempt status?
That's insane.
yes, I pay $3400 on my $160,000 shack in Texas
I don't know about the Great Lakes states, but that sounds about right (insane though it is) for real estate in New England. And many pay confiscatory state income taxes (even dual taxes, if they work across state lines) on top of it.
Here's hoping no one turns this into another Calvinist vs Armenian thread...
Combined (state and local) property taxes are almost 2.5% here (2.48% IIRC). $4000.00 a year would be a significant reduction in the property taxes some of us pay (and when the government wants more money, they just assert that the home someone paid $300K for is now worth $800K, a decision that can only be "reviewed" by the same government cabal that made the initial determination).
That's insane.
Yes, it is. It means those of modest incomes never really can own property; they just become renters to the state.
The Founders violently revolted against a level of taxation that was vastly lower than the burden we endure.
Church of the Branch Algorians-
**Green Monastery Planned**
http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/biz/295515
A Middleton (WI) religious group plans to build a $6 million monastery that will have a zero-carbon footprint and meet the highest environmental and energy-efficiency standards.
The monastery built by the Benedictine Women of Madison at 4200 Highway M would earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification upon completion.
The two-story, 30,000-square-foot building, scheduled for completion in December 2009, will replace the Benedict House, a former high school and retreat center that was torn down. Most of its materials were recycled.
Designed by Vertegy Consultants of St. Louis, the building will include an assembly room with gathering and dining space for 300 people, a kitchen, offices and a library and archives. The general contractor is Hoffman LLC of Appleton.
The building may feature photovoltaic technology, an array of solar panels and wind power to provide its own energy. Nearby fields will be restored to prairie, which will help with storm-water runoff.
The project will be financed through a capital campaign and a mortgage.
Vertegy has designed two other LEED Platinum commercial buildings in St. Louis. LEED Platinum is the highest rating offered by the U.S. Green Building Council.
Founded 50 years ago, Benedictine Women of Madison is a monastic community for single Christian women that offers retreat services and participates in environmental work.
The community’s oblate, or lay associates, group is open to men and women. About 200 people attend Sunday assembly services, said Betsy Liotus, executive director of the Benedictine Life Foundation.
She said the LEED-certified monastery will highlight the fact that environmental work is a community priority.
“It is completely consistent with part of our mission to care for the Earth,” Liotus said.
Dude, that’s about what I pay on my “shack” that worth maybe 180K
Is that like Latvian Orthodox?
Read the bits about churches as their own category of tax exempt organzations under 501(c)(3) law, and look for language concerning “substantial lobbying.” Look for the same in federal code. See the links below.
Under federal law, a church’s tax exempt status depends on (amongst other things) not engaging in substantial lobbying. I believe this is a Johnson era law, if memory serves correctly.
When a Methodist bishop walks the halls of the Virginia state Senate, and gets language changed in a Senate bill, I’d call that substantial lobbying that should, under law, effect the 1200 churches under her care in Virginia.
I prodded the head of the department of taxation in Virginia on this subject, and he (at the time) had sense enough to not touch this topic with a ten foot pole.
The mainline denominations run lobbying shops at the federal and state level. See the Interfaith Council and the Virginia Interfaith [something something]. The Virginia Methodist conference actively encourages its clergy and members to lobby legislators on specific initiatives.
The Methodists have explicitly enacted their own internal legislation declaring the mission of Christians is to transform the world, while rejecting the fundamentally Christian idea that the mission of Christians is to save souls. They are a political organization masquerading as a Christian denomination.
We may dislike the 501(c)(3) law, but it is still the law. I’d like to see it used to give the mainline denoms and those in their pews an eye-opening wake-up call.
Pointers to several 501(c)(3) topical documents:
http://www.irs.gov/charities/churches/index.html
Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations:
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf
"I'm really anxious to become a member. Don't you have an "'express conversion'?"
That's a little high around here, but not much.
"I'm really anxious to become a member. Don't you have an "'express conversion'?"
Our God accepts all major credit cards. Add $10 for next day Spirit air.
Actually there were believed to be other tithes in old testament days.
The first tithe, of which you speak, was intended for the Levites, the priests, who didn't own anything, or have jobs other than their priestly roles. It also provided the sacrifices needed continually.
There was believed to also be a festival tithe. Basically God saying, set aside 10% to party with/before me. Celebrate me and the things I have done for you.
Lastly, I have heard of a poor tithe. I believe, but am not sure, that this might have happened every three years. Obviously to help the poor.
But if this is the case, 20 or even 23% is still way off from OT times.
Today if someone gives 10%, they still have to pay the Gov 30% (approx.) of whats left. Not to mention other user taxes.
After all is said, today a person gives away 1/2 there hard earned income. In ancient days it was 20-23%.
Isn't progress(ivism) wonderful?
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