This has been a bone of contention with me for many, many years. For one I've seen it as a major abuse and it now becoming a front page issue in Anchorage. In my Virginia days I had/have first hand knowledge of the freakin' abuse. The question is more local oriented towards property tax and that is the exempt status that churches enjoy in most areas of the US.

My "beef", so to speak, is the abuse of this system. Don't get me wrong a church, synagog, chapel, mosque, temple, etc. and the grounds should be exempt, BUT a 5 acre lot downtown that the church owns but does not use does not qualify for the exemption and should be subject to the same levy as everybody else! No Exceptions Period! The same applies for that 10 acre lot out at the lake, or by the seashore, that the church owns and once a year for a week it's used for Vacation Bible Camp, but for the rest of the time it's a nice lot used for purposes that have nothing to do with church activities. Nope your paying the same taxes as John Q. Public!

And don't even get me started on not for profit organizations!