Obama’s Tax Proposal Probably Won’t Hurt Religious Charities Much
March 23, 2009 | Read Time: 1 minute
Religious charities are less likely than secular organizations to suffer from the Obama administration’s plan to cut charitable deductions for high earners, the Religion News Service reports.
Noting that wealthy Americans donate the most to education, the arts, and health care, Roberton Williams of the Tax Policy Center predicted that “religious groups will not see nearly the drop” that other charities will suffer. Sylvia Ronsvalle of the research organization Empty Tomb said it has found “no direct relationship between recession years and church member giving.”
Still, some religious groups, like the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, are mobilizing against the deduction plan, saying it would further hurt charities already facing a downturn in donations and increasing public needs.
(To learn more about the status of President Obama’s plan, see a new update from The Chronicle of Philanthropy. A paid subscription or temporary pass is required to view the Chronicle article.)
