Mitt considering bill requiring churches to reveal their finances

[helemon]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/08/09/romney_backs_church_disclosure/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News
Governor Mitt Romney promised yesterday to give close consideration to a controversial bill that would require the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston and other churches in Massachusetts to make their financial statements public. During a press conference, Romney stopped short of endorsing the bill, but called it a ''very important area of inquiry."
Romney said that he strongly believes that nonprofit organizations should be required to disclose their assets and financial details and indicated he was open to arguments that religious organizations should be subject to the same requirements as charities overseen by the attorney general's office.

''Clearly, nonprofit organizations should be subject to a level of disclosure which is consistent with the tax treatment they receive," Romney said. He said the filings, made to the attorney general's office, allow the public to ''make sure that money is being properly spent."

[Jeff_Ricks]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/08/09/romney_backs_church_disclosure/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News
It's about time! I hope the bill passes but I won't hold my breath.

Jeff

[peter_mary]

...waiting...

....waiting for the red phone to Church HQ to ring...


...waiting...

Ah! There it is!

"Yes, your majesty, your highness, anointed king of all Israel? You say 'kill the financial acountability bill?' Done, your royalness, sir."

:D


Peter_Mary

[peter_mary]

I found the loophole! (You KNEW I would...)

Here it is...

Romney said that he strongly believes that nonprofit organizations should be required to disclose their assets and financial details and indicated he was open to arguments that religious organizations should be subject to the same requirements as charities overseen by the attorney general's office.
This is actually a typo, but the print editor doesn't even know it! See, Romney no doubt said, "Non Prophet organizations..." which clearly eliminates the LDS Church, but of course, only an insider would know what he's talking about.

I'm sure Gordon B. is sitting quite comfortably, knowing HIS church has nothing to worry about.

:D

Ain't I a stinker?

Peter_Mary

[Jeff_Ricks]

...waiting...

....waiting for the red phone to Church HQ to ring...


...waiting...

Ah! There it is!

"Yes, your majesty, your highness, anointed king of all Israel? You say 'kill the financial acountability bill?' Done, your royalness, sir."

:D


Peter_Mary
Hmmm...

P_M, I'm thinking there's a good Peep Stone article in there somewhere. ;)

Jeff

[helemon]

...waiting...

....waiting for the red phone to Church HQ to ring...


...waiting...

Ah! There it is!

"Yes, your majesty, your highness, anointed king of all Israel? You say 'kill the financial acountability bill?' Done, your royalness, sir."

:D


Peter_Mary

What I found amusing was that the Catholic church complained that such a law was in violation of the separation of church and state. I didn't hear much complaining about the separation of church and state when the law was funneling federal money into churches!

[mutleydog]

....I wouldn't consider the church a "non-profit" organisation with $50 billion to its name (with out material assets)!!!! Man! That still makes me livid....all those years I struggled to pay tithing and then lived on the bread-line and they had that much money tucked a way for a rainy day - its enough to run a small country!!

[why me]

Ummm...some of us have a Milton Berle pie in the face when I consider what was said in a different thread. Good ole Mitt has demonstrated that he is not a church goon but rather an indepentent soul who has some good ideas. No come on people...lets give this republican guy some credit...I know that it will be hard to do considering your postmormon slant :p but I am sure that you can swallow your pride and give the guy a hand...now come on...lets all clap for Mitt Romney!!! As a marxist, I believe in fairness and I give credit where credit is due...we, marxists, are open minded individuals who believe in the human spirit of fairness.... :D :rolleyes:

[tjohnson]

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2005/08/09/romney_backs_church_disclosure/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+City%2FRegion+News

The main thing we have all forgotten... the donation side of the church is nonprofit... but The Corporation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a FOR PROFIT corporation... and privately held... so even if this passes, it won't affect much. :slap:

[cactus jack]

I think it's good for all non-profits to disclose their finances.

[helemon]

Ummm...some of us have a Milton Berle pie in the face when I consider what was said in a different thread. Good ole Mitt has demonstrated that he is not a church goon but rather an indepentent soul who has some good ideas. No come on people...lets give this republican guy some credit...I know that it will be hard to do considering your postmormon slant :p but I am sure that you can swallow your pride and give the guy a hand...now come on...lets all clap for Mitt Romney!!! As a marxist, I believe in fairness and I give credit where credit is due...we, marxists, are open minded individuals who believe in the human spirit of fairness.... :D :rolleyes:

Or he could simply be voicing support for a bill he knows will never pass. The statement gets some points for him in the eyes of his constituents while having little chance of it being implemented.

[why me]

Or he could simply be voicing support for a bill he knows will never pass. The statement gets some points for him in the eyes of his constituents while having little chance of it being implemented.
He is a politician. Who knows why he supports what he supports. In the political world much can happen which defies reason. He could also just be a supporter of that particular issue with no strings attached. He will be a rather popular guy if he can get southern support and the support of the christian right.. I don't think that we will see a church mouthpiece in Mitt.

[helemon]

I don't think that we will see a church mouthpiece in Mitt.

I wouldn't make that assumption just yet. He seems happy to hold up the churches position on gay marriage.

[why me]

I wouldn't make that assumption just yet. He seems happy to hold up the churches position on gay marriage.
I can understand his position on gay marriage. I would not say that he believes it because the church says so. Many people who are Republicans don't support gay marriage because of moral convictions. This can also be something personal between him and his own moral code. I am sure that there are democrats out there who don't support gay marriage, especially among the electorate. So I can't see the connection as yet between him being a mouthpiece for the church. But he is of course a product of his own religiour cultrure and upbringing.

[Jeff_Ricks]

The main thing we have all forgotten... the donation side of the church is nonprofit... but The Corporation of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is a FOR PROFIT corporation... and privately held... so even if this passes, it won't affect much. :slap:
I wasn't aware that the Church had a for profit side of the Church. How does that work. :confused: I assume donation dollars aren't funneled from the non-profit to the for profit side. Tell me more.

Jeff

[helemon]

I wasn't aware that the Church had a for profit side of the Church. How does that work. :confused: I assume donation dollars aren't funneled from the non-profit to the for profit side. Tell me more.

Jeff

I think he means the Corp of the President. I also am not clear on how the Corp is separate from the part that receives tithes and offerings. What types of things do each manage?

[noodle]

I wasn't aware that the Church had a for profit side of the Church. How does that work. :confused: I assume donation dollars aren't funneled from the non-profit to the for profit side. Tell me more.

Jeff

Jeff, this is probably similar to our regional Intermountain Health Care system which claims tax-exempt status by running a few health care clinics for the uninsured, yet clearly has a for-prophet (oops, profit) side: their health insurance plans. Playing both sides to their advantage???