The Panther Valley School District in Carbon and Schuylkill counties and the Bethlehem Area School District in Northampton County have begun the process of placing Catholic churches closed in mid-July 2008 on the tax rolls. The Diocese of Allentown closed or consolidated 32 churches in Schuylkill County.
Panther Valley raised the tax issue recently when it indicated it would add seven closed churches to the tax rolls. Bethlehem Area followed suit in challenging the tax-exempt status of four churches.
Last week, the Carbon County government sent a letter to the diocese that it will tax eight closed Catholic churches. Carbon County Board of Commissioners Chairman William O’Gurek told the Hazleton Standard-Speaker that all church properties should be looked at by the county tax assessment office to see which are no longer tax exempt.
The Carbon County notice to the diocese lists eight churches in Banks Township, Beaver Meadows, Lansford, Nesquehoning and Summit Hill that closed last year. If Carbon County is successful, it could cost the diocese about $105,000 annually in real-estate tax.
http://www.republicanherald.com/art...090218.a.pg1.pr18churches_s1.2312329_top2.txt
Panther Valley raised the tax issue recently when it indicated it would add seven closed churches to the tax rolls. Bethlehem Area followed suit in challenging the tax-exempt status of four churches.
Last week, the Carbon County government sent a letter to the diocese that it will tax eight closed Catholic churches. Carbon County Board of Commissioners Chairman William O’Gurek told the Hazleton Standard-Speaker that all church properties should be looked at by the county tax assessment office to see which are no longer tax exempt.
The Carbon County notice to the diocese lists eight churches in Banks Township, Beaver Meadows, Lansford, Nesquehoning and Summit Hill that closed last year. If Carbon County is successful, it could cost the diocese about $105,000 annually in real-estate tax.
http://www.republicanherald.com/art...090218.a.pg1.pr18churches_s1.2312329_top2.txt
