The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1913-08-30
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH
AND SCHOOL TAXES
Enormous Amount Saved the State
by Church School.
Exemption of Church Property From
Taxes No Loss to
State.
Some Interesting Figures Submitted
by New York Educator Show
ing cost of Parochial
Schools.

oc0OOlS.
In letter to The Sun. New York,
Mr.. Robert P. Green, q well-known
educator, reminds the public that one
denomination by its system of par
ochial schools saves the city all the
taxes RENTED to all churches and
charitable property. Catholic. Protest
ant, Hebrew and the Masonic Temple,
which also enjoys exemption"
One of the measures against re-
ngion advocated by Socialists who
are frankly atheistic In their view is
the taxation of all church property.
remarks The Register. New York.
Unwilling to allow for any service to
the State on the part Of the Church,
they denounce tax exemption for the
latter as unjust to the community at
large.
Something OF this idea of civic loss
through tax remission on church
property 10 conveyed In Bulletin No.
6a4 of the New York Bureau of Mu-
nicipal Research. dated July IL, 1919,
which reports large shrinkage In an
nual revenue to the city through these
exemptions. The bulletin gives the
total value Of exempted property, ax-
elusive d That owned by city. stats
ot nation. 10 $s7l.54s.52s. on which
the taxes remitted would come to
ss.7o0.ooo.
In his communication to The Sun,
already quoted. Mr.. Green points out
that the ''omntscient bureau" has To-
cused Its attention on what the city
does for the churches and has over
looked a statement of returns made.
| $50 ultra fair minded body Ii
bound In conscience to issue Bulletin
e35 and announce Just how much is
saved annually to the city by some Of
these exempt properties" says Mr..
Green. "The various Catholic parish
schools, all exempt. have. 1t seems,
$4,000 pupils in them. Each would
cost the city $50 year. so that one
Church alone pays the tax exemptions
for all Catholic. Protestant, Jewish
and Masonic Temple properties. 1t
cost the city 1858 per pupil last year
, for each child in the Disciplinary
i Training School, or nearly 81 a week.
Not only is the property exempt from
tax, but the city pays interest on the
bonds issued for It's construction. But
in private institutions and for the
same class Of children the city pays
j ;135 a year. plus SIS each for trade
i instruction and schooling when given
y 1t is actually profitable for the city
i to get it's work done at half price OF
less. It is now up to the bureau to
issue Bulletin e35-Efficient Citizen
ship Series.'
! The same condition Of things OBJ
tains generally throughout the coun.
try" comments the Catholic Tran.
script, especially in the more pop.
ulous portions: that is, in the parts
Of the country where the Catholic
\ Church property is considerable
enough to be counted worthy Of tax.
ation." And the churches are moi
profitable to the State in material
sense only, as our contemporary
points out. "but religion and respect
I for authority are taught in the fullest
measure and under the most compell'
ing sanction. The hope Of eternal re.
ward, ana the fear Of eternal punish.
ment, are the most powerful incen.
4 tives to good citizenship. The Church
is a greater factor in the good orde,
II of the community than the polio.
station, and the confessional doei
u more to promote the public welfare
than the police court. No one can un.
dertake to place a pecuniary estimate
i on the good wrought within the WALL
of the parish church.
Bpt in cold dollars and cents tn
Catholic Church Of the Unitsd statel
saves the country more, by maintain
ing at its own expense a parochia
y school system. than all exemption o
d all denominations and all charitabl,
institutions. She saves ten dollars TO
. the State, where the State curtail
one dollar Of her taxation"