Reducing expenditure by $1 billion per year for the next two years will limit the Government’s ability to make much-needed social investment in areas such as housing and family poverty, says Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand in a written submission to Parliament’s Finance and Expenditure Select Committee. Caritas Director Julianne Hickey says the agency supports the Read more
Posts Tagged ‘Tax’
Tax, the poverty gap and NZ
Friday, May 30th, 2014
At its simplest, the groundbreaking work by French economist Thomas Piketty proves no more than what we thought we already knew: the rich get richer. Whether the poor also get poorer is another matter. What would the taxi driver who took me across Beijing last year in a Toyota tricked out with three smartphones have Read more
Bishops urge G8 leaders to consider the poor
Friday, June 7th, 2013Catholic bishops’ conferences in the G8 nations have urged G8 leaders “to take steps to improve nutrition, reduce hunger and poverty, and strengthen just tax, trade and transparency policies for the common good of all”. “In a world that has made great strides in improving food production and distribution, far too many of God’s children Read more
Last Supper site to return to Catholic control?
Friday, May 31st, 2013
A long-awaited agreement between the Vatican and Israel on the status of Church institutions in the Holy Land appears to be near finality, with Israeli sources indicating that the Cenacle in Jerusalem — on the site of the Last Supper — will return to Catholic control. The same sources say that the tax status of Read more
Labour’s Louisa Wall criticises charities’ accountability
Friday, May 24th, 2013
Labour’s charity spokeswoman, Louisa Wall, and Christchurch charity expert Dr Michael Gousmett have criticised the lack of accountability of subsidised charitable organisations. Under the existing law charitable organisations are allowed tax relief, and receive subsidies with no public benefit test holding them to account. Gousmett says that while charities must make their financial accounts publicly Read more
Church leaders concerned about new accommodation tax regime
Tuesday, March 5th, 2013
Church leaders from all denominations will be meeting Revenue Minister Peter Dunne this week to discuss a Government decision to tax clergy on the market rental of the church provided houses they lived in. Although Catholic clergy will not be affected by the change because they are not paid, a Catholic Church spokeswoman said the church was supporting the other denominations. The church Read more
New Zealand shuts down its Charities Commission
Tuesday, March 6th, 2012
While the Australian Federal Government is setting up a charity regulator in the form of the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profits Commission , the New Zealand Government is shutting down its Charities Commission. A statement from the NZ Government says it has decided that its Charities Commission is unnecessary, carrying out a duplication of functions of Government, and Read more
Italian Churches to pay tax again
Monday, February 20th, 2012
The Italian government has told the European Commission it will change Italian law to ensure the Church pays property tax on parts of buildings used for commercial purposes. It will mean the likes of convents that offer bed and breakfast, or church buildings that rent space to shops, pay their full share of taxes. Prime Read more
Italy’s Catholic Church open to paying property tax
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
Italy’s Catholic Church has shifted its view and is showing a willingness to revisit its tax-exempt status on property. Criticism of the Church has grown following Premier Mario Monti’s proposal to restore a property tax on first and second homes as part of sweeping austerity measures. Ordinary Italians are being asked to make sacrifices and Read more
San Francisco Loses Large Tax Case Against Catholic Church
Friday, December 9th, 2011A California Superior Court has ruled against the City of San Francisco in its attempt to levy millions in real property transfer taxes against the Catholic Archdiocese of San Francisco.
It is not all that surprising that the city lost. The case looked rather weak.
The Court did not even get to the constitutional questions since they were able to rule for the Archdiocese based on the statutes.
Read the article...