Court Rejects Wiccans' Tax Challenge

[The Straight Story]

Court Rejects Wiccans' Tax Challenge

POSTED: 4:55 pm EDT October 26, 2006

TALLAHASSEE -- A Wiccan group’s challenge to a state sales tax exemption for Bibles and other religious items faltered Thursday when the Florida Supreme Court decided it lacked authority to consider the issue after all.

The high court earlier agreed to take the case and even heard oral arguments. But it ruled in a brief 6-1 opinion that it found no conflict in appellate court rulings on the underlying issue of whether the Wiccans have the right, or “standing,” to challenge the law.

The Wiccan Religious Cooperative of Florida had appealed a decision by the 1st District Court of Appeal that it lacked standing.
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The high court wrote that other appellate rulings, which had appeared to be in conflict on that issue, actually dealt with the narrower topic of “taxpayer standing,” the concept that those who pay taxes can challenge tax law. Chief Justice R. Fred Lewis dissented from the unsigned opinion without explanation.

Wiccan lawyer Heather Morcroft declined immediate comment.

The Supreme Court’s decision sidestepped the constitutional issue raised by the Wiccan appeal. Morcroft had argued the tax exemption aids religious organizations in violation of the First Amendment’s establishment clause that prohibits state-sponsored religion.

Kevin Shaughnessy, a lawyer for two religious publications, The Florida Catholic and The Florida Baptist Witnesses, had joined the state in defending the tax exemptions. He was pleased with Thursday’s decision.

http://www.local6.com/news/10167871/detail.html

[originalpckelly]

1. I am a secularist, I am totally against taxing churches...

why would someone want to destroy the wall separating church and state.

[IntravenousDemilo]

2. Odd position for a secularist to take. n/m

[BlueJazz]

3. It could be argued that the Republicans have just about......

...driven a D-9 Bulldozer through the wall.

I understand your point and agree... but with the growth of "Mega-Churches" I'm starting to have my doubts.

[Mojorabbit]

4. This is why

"The Wiccans, who follow an earth-based belief system or religion, once qualified for the exemption on items sold by the cooperative. They sued on Halloween 2000 after losing their exemption because they did not own a place of worship as required by state regulations."

We have fought this for several years. We meet at the UU church and other places but we do not have a permanent church building of our own. Nature is our "church". It is pure discrimmination.

[Nikki Stone 1]

5. Can't the local coven just rent an apartment?

Don't mean to sound flippant--I'm partial to the Dianics myself--but isn't there a way to get around the letter of the law?

[BlueJazz]

6. Yep...The Wiccans got a shitty deal. I remember when that happened and...

..one of my close friends (Diane Stein--Author) was Royally pissed...as she should be....

[kestrel91316]

7. Well, there you have it. Wicca is clearly a second-class

religion.

Haven't you heard? America is a Christian nation.

:sarcasm:

IMHO the ACLU or some other civil rights group needs to take on FL and rip then a new one all the way to the SCOTUS.