Lawmakers defy church pressure on DC gay marriage
WASHINGTON – The Catholic
Archdiocese of Washington is threatening to stop providing social
services, including management of city
homeless shelters, unless
lawmakers change a proposal to legalize same-sex marriages.
So far, most city council
members have refused to do that.
Catholic Charities has
city contracts to provide services to about 68,000 people. The marriage bill
would not require churches to perform same-sex weddings, but because Catholic
Charities uses city money, the archdiocese fears it would have to offer employee
benefits and adoptions to married same-sex couples.
The marriage legislation is expected to pass next month and has the mayor's
support.
Jane G. Belford, the chancellor of the Washington archdiocese, wrote
Councilman Phil Mendelson
on Wednesday asking for an exemption to protect the church's religious freedoms.
The church wants to be exempt from any measure that would require it to extend
benefits to same-sex couples or allow gays and lesbians to adopt children.
Council member Tommy Wells
said it would be dangerous to let the
Catholic church start
writing D.C. laws, a sentiment expressed by Mendelson and other members.
"Allowing individual exemptions opens the door for anyone to discriminate
based on assertions of religious principle," Mendelson said. "Let's not forget
that during the civil rights
era, many claimed separation of the races was ordained by God."
Archdiocese spokeswoman Susan Gibbs said the law would require city
contractors to ignore their religious principles.
"We are not threatening to walk out of the city," Gibbs said. "The city is
the one saying, 'If you want to continue partnering with the city, then you
cannot follow your faith teachings.'"
Catholic Charities, one of dozens of nonprofits that partner with D.C.
government, manages city-owned shelters that serve about one-third of
Washington's homeless population. The group's contracts totaled $8.2 million in
the past three years, according to the city council.
Council chairman Vincent Gray
said Thursday the city would have to find another group to provide social
services if the church backs out. He said he didn't see any room for compromise.
Council member Jim Graham
said the church hasn't abandoned social services in New Hampshire,
Connecticut or Vermont
after those states began recognizing same-sex marriages.
However, Catholic Charities halted its adoption programs in 2006 in Boston
because banned discrimination against same-sex couples who want to adopt children.
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Joanne's Corner
Jeopardizing Tax-Exempt Status
All IRC section 501(c)(3) organizations, including churches and religious organizations, must abide by certain rules:
■ their net earnings may not inure to any private shareholder or individual,
■ they must not provide a substantial benefit to private interests,
■ they must not devote a substantial part of their activities to attempting to influence legislation,
■
they must not participate in, or intervene in, any political campaign
on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office, and
■ the organization’s purposes and activities may not be illegal or violate fundamental public policy.
Substantial Lobbying Activity
In
general, no organization, including a church, may qualify for IRC
section 501(c)(3) status if a substantial part of its activities is
attempting to influence legislation (commonly known as lobbying). An
IRC section 501(c)(3) organization may engage in some lobbying, but too
much lobbying activity risks loss of tax-exempt status
Legislation
includes action by Congress, any state legislature, any local council,
or similar governing body, with respect to acts, bills, resolutions, or
similar items (such as legislative confirmation of appointive offices),
or by the public in a referendum, ballot initiative, constitutional
amendment, or similar procedure. It does not include actions by
executive, judicial, or administrative bodies.
A church or
religious organization will be regarded as attempting to influence
legislation if it contacts, or urges the public to contact, members or
employees of a legislative body for the purpose of proposing,
supporting, or opposing legislation, or if the organization advocates
the adoption or rejection of legislation.
Churches and religious
organizations may, however, involve themselves in issues of public
policy without the activity being considered as lobbying. For example,
churches may conduct educational meetings, prepare and distribute
educational materials, or otherwise consider public policy issues in an
educational manner without jeopardizing their tax-exempt status.
if you find that a church is not abiding to the rules set forth you may file a complaint with the IRS see page http://www.irs.gov/individ..uals/article/0,,id=106778,..00.html and download http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs..-pdf/f3949a.pdf
You may fill out Form 3949-A online, print it and mail it to:
Internal Revenue Service
Fresno, CA 93888
If
you do not wish to use Form 3949-A, you may send a letter to the
address above. Please include the following information, if available:
Name and address of the person you are reporting
The
taxpayer identification number (social security number for an
individual or employer identification number for a business) (if you
have it)
A brief description of the alleged violation, including how you became aware of or obtained the information
The years involved
The estimated dollar amount of any unreported income
Your name, address and daytime telephone number
Although you are not required to identify yourself, it is helpful to do so. Your identity can be kept confidential.
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