Italians to be the First to Tax the Church

ubs · 02-16-2012, 09:59 AM

All is not sorrow! While bankers finish killing democracy in the place of it's birth, a glimmer of good. It seems that financial favors for the church will end in their place of origin.

Quote:

Italy to End Tax Breaks on Church Enterprises
Feb. 16 (Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Mario Monti plans an amendment to an Italian law that will force the Catholic Church to pay taxes on all its commercial properties, according to a statement posted late yesterday on the government’s website.

The church currently pays property tax only on buildings designated as “purely commercial,” based on an Italian law originating 20 years ago and extended in 2006. The wording is ambiguous when it comes to clinics that have a chapel or monasteries that offer bed and breakfast accommodation.

The Catholic Church owns about 100,000 properties in Italy, a third of which are commercial, according to the Italian Radical Party, which historically has challenged the church.

Italy would gain an additional 100 million euros ($130 million) from increasing levies on the church to include all its commercial property, Paolo Berdini, an urban planner and consultant for local administrations, said in an interview last month.

May we follow in their foot steps.

Davin · 02-16-2012, 10:22 AM

Quote:

ubs wrote

All is not sorrow! While bankers finish killing democracy in the place of it's birth, a glimmer of good. It seems that financial favors for the church will end in their place of origin.

May we follow in their foot steps.

Hopefully the whole world does.

ghoulslime · 02-16-2012, 10:33 AM

Nice! There IS a leprechaun queen!

Smellyoldgit · 02-16-2012, 10:34 AM

Taxing the twats has been under consideration for quite some time.
I'd like to see it backdated two thousand years - then we'd notice some squalking!

Stargazer · 02-16-2012, 01:15 PM

It's about time they paid their fair share. And in the case of the US, it could eliminate our budget deficit.

Broga · 02-16-2012, 01:19 PM

Great news. Of course, getting the money from the shifty, whining, complaining clerics will be very difficult.

ILOVEJESUS · 02-16-2012, 02:49 PM

Have they actually offered any kind of compensation to those that were molested by their preists yet? They may well have.

Eternal · 02-16-2012, 03:01 PM

Good news. Hopefully it will happen.

Victus · 02-16-2012, 03:11 PM

I wonder if the amount to be collected in taxes is enough to create an incentive to re-locate the church's operations hub.

ubs · 02-16-2012, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Victus wrote

I wonder if the amount to be collected in taxes is enough to create an incentive to re-locate the church's operations hub.

Mexico City maybe. They could cut a deal with the Zetas.

Victus · 02-16-2012, 11:16 PM

Quote:

ubs wrote

Mexico City maybe. They could cut a deal with the Zetas.

Or, if they wanted to go where their future growth will (likely) be Africa.

Smellyoldgit · 02-17-2012, 05:14 AM

I note the proposed changes only applies to Vatican owned commercial properties. Places of worship will still be exempt. I’ll really let out a cheer and streak naked round town when the whole vile organisation is treated exactly the same as all ~~criminal~~ businesses.

Stargazer · 02-17-2012, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Smellyoldgit wrote

I note the proposed changes only applies to Vatican owned commercial properties. Places of worship will still be exempt. I’ll really let out a cheer and streak naked round town when the whole vile organisation is treated exactly the same as all ~~criminal~~ businesses.

We will remember that statement.

muse · 08-11-2012, 01:57 PM

Quote:

ubs wrote

All is not sorrow! While bankers finish killing democracy in the place of it's birth, a glimmer of good. It seems that financial favors for the church will end in their place of origin.

May we follow in their foot steps.

I agree with taxing churches unless I can have one tax free.