Local Law Firms Home > Taxation Law News > Church Files Lawsuit Against Taxation Law Discrimination The Aldersgate United Methodist Church in Rockland, Maine has filed a lawsuit against the city for taxation law discrimination. They claim the city is not exempting its properties despite the Church being a religious institution. The issue revolves around three parcels of land opposite to Chickawaukie Lake, on Wesley Drive. The actual land on which the Church is located is exempt from property tax. This land is about 7 acres and the Church occupies about 5,300 sq ft of space. Apart from this property, the Church's Wesley Trust also owns two other properties, which are the source of the dispute as they are being taxed by the city. One property has a parsonage on it that is rented out to another pastor. The second lot is used as the parking lot and driveway. The Church claims that it should be taxed like other non-profits, but the city is discriminating against them by not providing exemptions for their properties. They claim in their lawsuit that they are not being treated like secular non-profit organizations and that Rockland's interpretation of how Churches should be taxed violates the U.S. Constitution's 1st and 14th Amendments. The Church is being helped in its legal claim by the Alliance Defense Fund, a Kansas-based organization that defends religious freedom. The City of Rockland says it's not about religion and they would have exempted the parsonage from property tax if the Church had not rented it out. The Church claims they should still get the exemption because another pastor is using it. As for the other lot, they say it is used by child development services and AA, and should get the same tax advantages as a non-profit providing land for such community welfare use. The 1.6 acre parsonage lot is valued at almost $250,000 on which the Church had to pay $4,630 last year. The other lot used for parking was taxed to the tune of $2,230.
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