When I was a student at Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky, one of my urban planning classes involved a study of downtown Murray. Three of the four corners were large churches which reduced not only retail sales footage on the square but down some of the side streets. As the population grew, retailers had been forced away from the square. Now little is downtown and almost all is now on the main highways west of town. During the study I interviewed the retailers who didn’t appreciate being taxed for real estate while the churches benefited from the infrastructure the churches abused. As the retailers were bankrupted the churches bought up the buildings reducing downtown tax receipts even more.

Religious groups do not pay income taxes and thus they are not allowed to promote one person over another for a political office. Several years ago the IRS started threatening some churches about promoting a person by telling their congregation to vote for the pastor’s choice. Read 501(c) (3) rules where it clearly states a religious or non-profit organization cannot promote any political person or party over another. It makes me grit my teeth when I see some political figure addressing a congregation on a Sunday morning. The church then becomes a Super PAC and not a devotional service.

Religious schools should not be getting any funding since any one taxpayer may not agree with that religion’s beliefs or any belief in a supernatural being. Would those who think Christian schools should be supported, agree with supporting a Muslim, Hindu, or some Radical Sect? Once we support one, all are entitled. That’s why we have a separation of Church and State.