Editor’s Note: This diary was originally written by “caprogressive.” It is the second astroturf diary from “caprogressive” with no substantive arguments other than the “they’re going to bulldoze your church” fear mongering. Unless Prop 90 opponents choose to address the problems with the “damage” provisions, they will not be speaking with our microphone. Prop 90, like Prop 13 before it, would devastate the governance of California. It would slow environmental protections and virtually outlaw zoning restrictions. Whether or not you agree with the sentiment that E.D. needs to be reigned in, Prop 90 is a bad proposition. — jsw
The greatest threat facing churches and non-profits is the use of eminent domain to seize their property- and this is exactly what has been happening across California and across the country.
John Kramer of the Castle Coalition writes in a story titled “Bulldozing Churches for mini-malls” that “Tax-hungry governments teaming up with land-hungry developers are capitalizing on the fact that churches, and all non-profits, are tax-exempt, using Kelo to justify taking religious buildings on the grounds that the land can generate more tax revenue or amplify job growth as businesses or homes for the wealthy.”
According to Bob Edgar who is the general secretary of the National Council of Churches, “After the Kelo decision, local governments apparently are free to take private property on the theory that generating higher tax revenue is a valid ‘public use’ of property.”
The “tax-hungry governments” and the “land-hungry developers” have already decided that churches and non-profits do not provide a substantial ‘public use’ for to them the only real public use is money in their pockets. There is nothing more threatening to non-profits than this, in fact it crumbles the foundation of their very livelihood.
If local governments have decided that profit is more important than charity how long is it until the federal government revokes their non-profit status or decreases charitable deductibility?
