[texas booster]

Perry said the church created the situation, by failing to contest the tax bill it received last July.

"It seems so absurd," church moderator George Peteros said, that a church building assessed at $1.5 million could go to auction to recoup less than $5,000 in taxes.

The city maintains that any space not exclusively used for religious purposes, even if it generates no income, is taxable according to state law.

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The state law is wrong, however it may be written. Every church does community services and these are included in the mission of the church. Especially in New England, churches have always been used for education and community service.

The law needs clarification (if needed), and this civil overlord needs firing.

[untrained skeptic]

The state law is wrong, however it may be written. Every church does community services and these are included in the mission of the church. Especially in New England, churches have always been used for education and community service.

The law needs clarification (if needed), and this civil overlord needs firing.

I think our nation's whole system of taxation at federal, state, and local levels needs overhauled.

Tax exempt status is a double edged sword. With our high tax burden churches and other nonprofit organizations that benefit society would have a difficult time surviving without that status. However at the same time the government uses the threat of losing that status to restrict those organizations.

The threat of losing tax exempt status gives the government way to much power over churches. However, I don't really have a solution to the problem.