News & Reporting

The global economic crisis is leading European cities to reconsider centuries-old tax breaks to churches.

A set of laws exempts the Roman Catholic Church and other recognized religious and nonprofit organizations from paying property tax in Spain, according to Time magazine.

Catholicism being the dominant religion in Spain, church properties currently are used as schools, homes, parks, sports fields, and restaurants. The Church's privileged status exempts it from an estimated 3 billion euros in taxes.

The Washington Post reports that the Vatican said it will "comply with all laws." However, the Church "declined to comment further except to emphasize that current norms recognize the 'social value' of church activities."

But Spain is not the only European country to consider taxation of churches as a way to raise needed state funds. Similar campaigns are underway in Italy, Ireland, and Britain.

CT has previously reported on similar cases of church taxation in the U.S., including a New Hampshire court ruling allowing a city to tax one church room-by-room.

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