To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
IRS Failing to Separate Church and State
Tell the IRS to penalize those that seek tax-exempt status while ignoring requirements to maintain that status. If religious organizations choose to infuse politics with religion, it's time for them to start paying taxes, like the rest of us.
Why is this important?
Living in the state of Florida and reading the constitutional amendments on our ballots this year was a far different experience than voting in other states previously. One of our constitutional amendments was intended to provide religious organizations with tax payer dollars. Luckily for us, the bill failed.
Not only were we on the verge of paying religious organizations our hard-earned dollars, but said organizations are breaking rules and continuing to maintain tax-exempt status.
Part of the responsibility of the IRS is to monitor and govern non-profit organizations to maintain that they are adhering to federal laws that allow their tax-exempt status to apply. Some of the criterion for maintaining tax-exempt status are:
■ the organization must be organized and operated
exclusively for religious, educational, scientific, or other
charitable purposes,
■ net earnings may not inure to the benefit of any
private individual or shareholder,
■ no substantial part of its activity may be attempting
to influence legislation,
■ the organization may not intervene in political
campaigns, and
■ the organization’s purposes and activities may not
be illegal or violate fundamental public policy
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf
On October 7, 2012, churches took to the pulpits and streets to persuade people to vote in opposition to such topics as abortion. As you can see from the list provided above, churches may NOT participate in influencing legislation to maintain tax-exempt status. There have also been reports made that church leaders had been coaxing their parishioners to vote for specific candidates. Per the IRS requirements, this is also a violation. As several news agencies are reporting, "However, Russell Renwicks, a manager in the IRS Mid-Atlantic region, recently said the agency had suspended audits of churches suspected of breaching federal restrictions on political activity. A 2009 federal court ruling required the IRS to clarify which high-ranking official could authorize audits over the tax code's political rules. The IRS has yet to do so.''
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/irs-enforcing-rules-churches-politics-17633236#.UJwr15jA8qw
http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2019596822_apusirschurchpolitics.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/04/irs-church-state_n_2069009.html
It is time that, after 3 years of complaints made to the IRS, they do the job they have been hired to do and follow the law. We pay our fair share of taxes. If religious organizations choose to violate the requirements of maintaining tax-exempt status, then they should be forced to pay their fair share of taxes, as well.
It is time to wake the IRS up and tell them, ''Do your job or be replaced with employees who will!'' Stand up for our rights as a community and vocalize to the IRS that those who are willing to break rules, must be subjected to forfeiture of special privileges.
Not only were we on the verge of paying religious organizations our hard-earned dollars, but said organizations are breaking rules and continuing to maintain tax-exempt status.
Part of the responsibility of the IRS is to monitor and govern non-profit organizations to maintain that they are adhering to federal laws that allow their tax-exempt status to apply. Some of the criterion for maintaining tax-exempt status are:
■ the organization must be organized and operated
exclusively for religious, educational, scientific, or other
charitable purposes,
■ net earnings may not inure to the benefit of any
private individual or shareholder,
■ no substantial part of its activity may be attempting
to influence legislation,
■ the organization may not intervene in political
campaigns, and
■ the organization’s purposes and activities may not
be illegal or violate fundamental public policy
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1828.pdf
On October 7, 2012, churches took to the pulpits and streets to persuade people to vote in opposition to such topics as abortion. As you can see from the list provided above, churches may NOT participate in influencing legislation to maintain tax-exempt status. There have also been reports made that church leaders had been coaxing their parishioners to vote for specific candidates. Per the IRS requirements, this is also a violation. As several news agencies are reporting, "However, Russell Renwicks, a manager in the IRS Mid-Atlantic region, recently said the agency had suspended audits of churches suspected of breaching federal restrictions on political activity. A 2009 federal court ruling required the IRS to clarify which high-ranking official could authorize audits over the tax code's political rules. The IRS has yet to do so.''
http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/irs-enforcing-rules-churches-politics-17633236#.UJwr15jA8qw
http://seattletimes.com/html/nationworld/2019596822_apusirschurchpolitics.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/04/irs-church-state_n_2069009.html
It is time that, after 3 years of complaints made to the IRS, they do the job they have been hired to do and follow the law. We pay our fair share of taxes. If religious organizations choose to violate the requirements of maintaining tax-exempt status, then they should be forced to pay their fair share of taxes, as well.
It is time to wake the IRS up and tell them, ''Do your job or be replaced with employees who will!'' Stand up for our rights as a community and vocalize to the IRS that those who are willing to break rules, must be subjected to forfeiture of special privileges.