Should churches, etc have tax exempt status?

[Margno]

No, and all other nonprofits I disagree with should also have their tax exemption redacted. [/sarcasm]

[California Prime]

for all of their business dealings they should be taxed. (sales, income)
all church properties in which business activities take place should be taxed (property)
all charitable activities should be exempt.

[Seleucas]

Let the churches keep their tax exemption. It doesn't harm me at all, and in general I like the way that churches spend their money (in addition, I can get a tax rebate from donating to them, were I so inclined.)

[Greed and Death]

for all of their business dealings they should be taxed. (sales, income)
all church properties in which business activities take place should be taxed (property)
all charitable activities should be exempt.

They already are.

[Genivaria]

No, but make them earn it like most charities have to.

[The New Sea Territory]

Everyone should be tax exempt. However, if we are talking within the realm of statism, no. It's special treatment for the religious over the nonreligious.

[The New Sea Territory]

Let the churches keep their tax exemption. It doesn't harm me at all, and in general I like the way that churches spend their money (in addition, I can get a tax rebate from donating to them, were I so inclined.)

State policy should not be decided on what one NSGer likes or feels unharmed by.

[The Union of the West]

Everyone should be tax exempt. However, if we are talking within the realm of statism, no. It's special treatment for the religious over the nonreligious.

Pretty much this.

I voted for the fourth option in the poll.

[Valkalan]

This is a rare case where I do agree to a tax increase. Organized faith should pull its weight like all other commercial institutions.

[Scomagia]

Everything should have tax exempt status with the exception of sales-tax.

No income tax, no property tax, no "special" taxes on certain goods.

Just a percentage of all sales.

So you don't like roads, military training and equipment, clean water, emergency services, social safety nets, or scientific and technological advancement?

Anyway, I'm fine with tax-exemption for religious organizations, provided that they don't make a profit. Certain groups *cough* Scientology *cough* are clearly businesses and exist to make a profit, so they should be taxed.

[The Union of the West]

Everything should have tax exempt status with the exception of sales-tax.

No income tax, no property tax, no "special" taxes on certain goods.

Just a percentage of all sales.

So you don't like roads, military training and equipment, clean water, emergency services, social safety nets, or scientific and technological advancement?

Anyway, I'm fine with tax-exemption for religious organizations, provided that they don't make a profit. Certain groups *cough* Scientology *cough* are clearly businesses and exist to make a profit, so they should be taxed.

In his/her defense, all of those things could be provided by the private sector.

[Scomagia]

So you don't like roads, military training and equipment, clean water, emergency services, social safety nets, or scientific and technological advancement?

Anyway, I'm fine with tax-exemption for religious organizations, provided that they don't make a profit. Certain groups *cough* Scientology *cough* are clearly businesses and exist to make a profit, so they should be taxed.

In his/her defense, all of those things could be provided by the private sector.

If the private sector's performance in those areas is anything like their performance in the prison system, I think I'll pass.

[Arkolon]

In his/her defense, all of those things could be provided by the private sector.

If the private sector's performance in those areas is anything like their performance in the prison system, I think I'll pass.

Prisons are under 1% of all private firms, and yet you choose that one? What about the other 99%?

[The New Sea Territory]

In his/her defense, all of those things could be provided by the private sector.

If the private sector's performance in those areas is anything like their performance in the prison system, I think I'll pass.

The private prison sector sucks because the state exists. When the state privatizes, it creates a corporatocracy. When the state dissolves, it creates a legitimate free market.

[Czechanada]

Are churches now trying to become men?

[Scomagia]

If the private sector's performance in those areas is anything like their performance in the prison system, I think I'll pass.

The private prison sector sucks because the state exists. When the state privatizes, it creates a corporatocracy. When the state dissolves, it creates a legitimate free market.

The private prison sector sucks because it tries to make a business out of something that shouldn't be a fucking business.

[Arkolon]

The private prison sector sucks because the state exists. When the state privatizes, it creates a corporatocracy. When the state dissolves, it creates a legitimate free market.

The private prison sector sucks because it tries to make a business out of something that shouldn't be a fucking business.

If it manages scarce resources, it can be a business, and it is supposed to be a business.

[Atlanticatia]

The private prison sector sucks because the state exists. When the state privatizes, it creates a corporatocracy. When the state dissolves, it creates a legitimate free market.

The private prison sector sucks because it tries to make a business out of something that shouldn't be a fucking business.

Exactly. If prisons have to be private, they should be not-for-profit. When your profits are correlated with how many people are imprisoned, that just fucks up the justice system. Therefore government-owned prisons are the most cost effective, and fair.

[Arkolon]

The private prison sector sucks because it tries to make a business out of something that shouldn't be a fucking business.

Exactly. If prisons have to be private, they should be not-for-profit. When your profits are correlated with how many people are imprisoned, that just fucks up the justice system. Therefore government-owned prisons are the most cost effective, and fair.

The prison runs the security systems, does it not? It does not actually put people in prison; it just stops them from getting out.

[The New Sea Territory]

The private prison sector sucks because the state exists. When the state privatizes, it creates a corporatocracy. When the state dissolves, it creates a legitimate free market.

The private prison sector sucks because it tries to make a business out of something that shouldn't be a fucking business.

Then why does the state run the prison system? That is a business, technically, as it is a monopoly on prisons. How could any prison not be business?

The private prison sector sucks because it tries to make a business out of something that shouldn't be a fucking business.

Exactly. If prisons have to be private, they should be not-for-profit. When your profits are correlated with how many people are imprisoned, that just fucks up the justice system. Therefore government-owned prisons are the most cost effective, and fair.

As if the Justice System in America wasn't fucked up?

[Dazchan]

It's not so much that I think churches should not be tax exempt; I don't think churches should be a separate category for tax exemption.

If a church is non-profit, and fulfils the definition of a non-profit under the relevant tax legislation, then they can gain tax exemption through that. If they don't meet the criteria, then they can render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar.

[The Union of the West]

The private prison sector sucks because it tries to make a business out of something that shouldn't be a fucking business.

Then why does the state run the prison system? That is a business, technically, as it is a monopoly on prisons. How could any prison not be business?

This. The State could be considered a business. A very violent monopolistic business.

[The New Sea Territory]

Then why does the state run the prison system? That is a business, technically, as it is a monopoly on prisons. How could any prison not be business?

This. The State could be considered a business. A very violent monopolistic business.

The state is a conglomerate of various monopolies over an arbitrary political region all glued together by a monopoly on the initiation of violence. Monopolies are businesses.

[Atlanticatia]

Exactly. If prisons have to be private, they should be not-for-profit. When your profits are correlated with how many people are imprisoned, that just fucks up the justice system. Therefore government-owned prisons are the most cost effective, and fair.

The prison runs the security systems, does it not? It does not actually put people in prison; it just stops them from getting out.

No, for example, private prisons have contracts with the justice system - these contracts say that the private prisons must maintain maximum capacity. This means that incarceration rates need to remain high. Since prisons are seeking a profit based on incarcerating people, corruption and overincarceration is common. I invite you to read about the Cash for Kids Scandal.

Prisons need to be publicly owned or private nonprofits. Profit should not be involved in incarceration.

[The New Sea Territory]

It's not so much that I think churches should not be tax exempt; I don't think churches should be a separate category for tax exemption.

If a church is non-profit, and fulfils the definition of a non-profit under the relevant tax legislation, then they can gain tax exemption through that. If they don't meet the criteria, then they can render unto Caesar that which belongs to Caesar.

Correct, and nothing belongs to Caesar besides 23 knives stabbed through his chest.