Manji was a member of the working group that prepared a discussion paper released last week by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ).

The paper considers alternative funding options for councils as many are finding it increasingly difficult to pay for infrastructure and services amid population decline and growing costs.

At present Land used for religious worship, religious education or for charitable purposes are all classed as non-rateable under existing legislation.

Councils can levy targeted rates for water, sewerage and refuse collection but not any other type of rate.

Crown land used for conservation and recreation, not-for-profit early childhood centres, schools and tertiary institutions and land owned or used by district health boards are also exempt, along with land used for transport infrastructure, including roads, wharves, railways and airports and some Maori land.

The LGNZ Funding Review report said there was a "lack of any rational basis for the current exemptions".

"Central government sets the exemptions but local communities pay for them, as the rates burden in each area is spread over a narrower base" the report said.

Christchurch Methodist Mission executive director Jill Hawkey said charities and churches would have to either raise the additional money or cut services if they had to pay rates.

"It would have a huge impact. I really encourage the council to recognise the community services provided by churches and charitable organisations."

Christchurch Anglican Church spokesman Jayson Rhodes said churches, which were also meeting places for various community groups, were hit hard in the quakes and to start charging rates now would have a big effect.

Source

• The Press
• Image: TVNZ

One of them, the Christian pro-life group Cherish Life Ministries, said it was told by an IRS agent that the organisation did not qualify for non-profit status because it did not present pro-abortion arguments alongside pro-life arguments.

Earlier, the IRS had apologised for subjecting more than 70 politically conservative groups to strict scrutiny over their applications for tax-exempt status during the 2012 presidential election.

"It was an error in judgment, and it was not appropriate, but that's what they did," said Lois Lerner, department head for tax-exempt organisations. "I think they were insensitive, or less sensitive than they should have been."

As a result, two high-ranking officers of the IRS have resigned.

Since then, several more groups have complained of harassment by the IRS.

Coalition for Life, in Iowa, was told it could not receive non-profit status unless it agreed to limit its picketing and protesting against Planned Parenthood's abortion clinics.

Pharmacists for Life International reported that at least two of its officers and board members were "subjected to ongoing harassment and intimidation attempts by the IRS through continued and costly nuisance audits and threatening letters".

The director of the conservative Catholic League, Bill Donohue, said his group had been investigated for possibly violating IRS rules on political activities. He discovered that the investigation had been prompted by the left-wing group Catholics United, which supported the Obama administration.

The Bill Graham Evangelistic Association was targeted for an audit after running advertisements supporting marriage and asking voters to choose candidates using "biblical principles".

Dr Anne Hendershott, a Catholic sociology professor, said she was investigated after she wrote articles critical of President Barack Obama's health care legislation. She said she was "so scared" by the IRS that she stopped writing on some subjects.

The National Organization for Marriage is filing a lawsuit against the IRS after its confidential tax return, including its list of donors, was leaked from the agency to the group's chief political opponent, the Human Rights Campaign — a gay advocacy group promoting same-sex marriage.

Sources:

Catholic News Agency

Religion News Service

Aleteia

Catholic News Agency

Image: Aleteia