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AZ Private property owners that lease to churches will get a tax break. What do you think about this?

• The measure would grant property owners who lease to churches, but are not religiously affiliated themselves, tax breaks approaching the ones churches get when they own property. The tax break applies only to space used for worship services. It would affect about one half of 1 percent of commercial property owners, according to a spokesman from the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office. Still, that could cost the state between $300,000 and $2.1 million in fiscal year 2016. But opponents say the bill language is so loose that there’s no way to ensure that property owners pass on the savings to their tenants — the churches. They say it is also costly to the state. “I am voting no because this is another example of something that sounds good in a short title but can be morphed into something that has unintended consequences,” Rep. Heather Carter, R-Cave Creek, said. Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, said property owners must sign an affidavit saying they will pass on the savings. Mesnard reprimanded members who had voted against the bill. “I don’t know if we’re against reading bills or reading all of fiscal notes, but if you look at it, it’s very clear we’re talking about a minuscule amount of money to the state that is going to have a huge impact to our tiny churches out there,” Mesnard said. The bill would reduce the property value tax assessment ratio of 18.5 percent to 1 percent. For example, if someone owned a commercial property valued at $1,000,000, the amount of property taxes that the owner would owe would be based on $10,000. http://www.trivalleycentral.com/casa_grande_dispatch/arizona_news/arizona-house-approves-religious-tax-breaks/article_ba725340-a3bb-11e3-9b78-001a4bcf887a.html

• Answer:

  I don't believe in tax breaks or exemption in the name of religion, if state and religion are supposed to be separate then that to me applies to this situation, treat it like any other tax payers business.