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After receiving a six-figure tax bill that nearly jeopardized a Southeast DC church’s efforts to provide community services in its neighborhood, Rev. Patrick Walker of The New Macedonia Baptist Church is questioning the city government’s commitment to fostering a welcome environment for non-profits and African-American churches in the city.
In a press release last month, the senior pastor described the $156,000 tax bill as “another ploy by the local government to force churches out of the city and silence the voice of the African-American church in the District of Columbia.”
And although the church did eventually receive an exemption from the tax, it was only after the taxes were due and local media reported on the story. Walker said he had petitioned the government for the exemption as many as six months prior, but did not receive a response.
The debacle illustrates the strain between the current city administration and the black church, Walker said.
“We have the continued issue of many of our churches who are dealing with parking issues around our city, tickets that churches receive on Sunday. There have been no resolutions on those issues under this administration,” said Walker, who also is First Vice President of the Missionary Baptist Ministers Conference of DC and Vicinity. “This situation is not just about New Macedonia Church, it is the fact that the larger issue is [the city council] is putting this burden on churches, as well as with the nonprofits, people who are trying to do good in the community. They are, in fact, making it more difficult for us to do what we do,”
Walker said parking is such a major issue, it has driven some ministries away, but the government will not respond to church community concerns.
“Churches have just had to leave the city because there’s just not ample parking and the city won’t do anything to resolve those issues or to help us. At least come to the table to have healthy discussion around it. We haven’t had any meetings as it relates to that,” he said.
The tax bill was just another example of the strain, he said.
“It’s not just about getting an exemption, however, we feel as though with many projects in Ward 7, and certainly this city, we feel as if we have to stand up for the other churches,” Walker said.
Calls to DC Mayor Adrian Fenty’s office, and to DC Council Chairman Vincent Gray’s office for comment were not returned at press time. Calls to the Office of Tax and Revenue also were not returned.
According to records, the tax office issued a tax bill to the church earlier this year on the property which is just a short distance from the church in the 4100 block of Alabama Avenue.
The former apartment building was purchased two years ago and had been damaged by fire. The church has plans to renovate the building for use as a center for drug counseling, and support for people with HIV/AIDS.
Since purchasing the property, the church has boarded up the windows, and cleaned debris from the lot, Walker said.
Although the church is tax exempt, and could utilize the building just enough for it to fall under the church’s tax exempt status, Walker said they have not done so. Instead, records show
the church paid the first half of last year’s residential property tax on the building, which was assessed at over $1.1 million.
The latest tax bill, however, showed the government levied a 10 percent vacant building tax, in addition to the residential property tax, which, including penalties and fees, brought the church’s tax bill up to over $156,000, according to the records.
The building had passed the inspections, Walker said, and therefore wasn’t abandoned or vacant.
“I was absolutely amazed, I was in shock,” Walker said, recalling his reaction when he first received the bill.
He said the tax forced the church to choose between using the funds they’d raised to pay the district government or to further ministry.
To make matters worse, if the church didn’t pay the bill, it would no longer have a “Clean Hands” certificate, which allows it to do obtain licenses and conduct other business with the District government. Without the certificate, even the vehicles owned by the church – and licensed by the district -- would not be able to legally operate.
Despite Walker’s efforts to obtain an exemption from the vacant building tax, time ran out last month without a response from his local representatives or the DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, which handles exemptions.
After media attention, the department granted the church an exemption via e-mail Jul. 7.
The vacant property tax not only had unintended consequences for New Macedonia, but it does for other property owners as well, Walker said.
“Well this particular issue, I think the best thing is getting an extension for properties in the District that’s blighted, and to really revisit, review, and repeal this tax,” he said.
Despite its recent tax troubles, Walker said he plans to have the building up and running within 18 months.
“I see opportunity [for the new building], but especially a very, very vital part of the community as a whole,” Walker said. |
