Bishop Chairmen Express Relief at Modifications to “Parking Lot Tax” But Seek Full Repeal

WASHINGTON–The guidance promulgated yesterday by the Treasury Department is an “effort to alleviate the ‘parking lot tax,’” but “full relief is needed from Congress,” according to Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz of Louisville, Chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Chairman of the USCCB Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.

Archbishop Kurtz and Bishop Dewane offered the following joint statement in response:

“We appreciate the Administration’s effort to alleviate the ‘parking lot tax’ by allowing employers, including many non-profits, to retroactively reduce their nondeductible parking expenses. But full relief is needed from Congress to fix this unjust tax. As we, along with many ecumenical and interreligious leaders, noted in a coalition letter to Congress last month: ‘Unless repealed, this provision will require tens of thousands of houses of worship to file tax returns for the first time in our nation’s history and will impose a new tax burden on houses of worship and nonprofit organizations.’”

The November 13 coalition letter can be found here: https://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/religious-liberty/upload/Letter-on-Parking-Lot-Tax-November-13-2018.pdf

---
Keywords: Archbishop Joseph Kurtz, Bishop Frank Dewane, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, USCCB, parking lot tax, Treasury Department, religious liberty, religious freedom

###

Media Contact:
Judy Keane
202-541-3200