Jehovah’s Witnesses hope for change in tax policy
Coquitlam Tri City News, Canada -
11 minutes ago
The 400 members with the Westwood Congregation of the Jehovah’s Witness are “hopeful” the city of Coquitlam will refund the $67,000 the church paid in ...
By Janis Warren
The Tri-City NewsSep 06 2006 Judge said city had right to not give tax exemption but suggested it reconsider The 400 members with the Westwood Congregation of the Jehovah’s Witness are “hopeful” the city of Coquitlam will refund the $67,000 the church paid in municipal property taxes over the past three years, their lawyer said yesterday. “The congregation is hoping that things will go forward in a positive direction,” David Gnam told The Tri-City News yesterday. “They’re taking a positive view towards the city and have definitely made the submissions that were required and wish to be able to be taken seriously by the city. “They’re hopeful,” Gnam said. Last month, a Supreme Court judge ordered Coquitlam city council to take a second look at awarding property tax breaks to the church. Starting in 1969, the church received tax exemptions for its Kingdom Hall on Dewdney Trunk Road. In 1991, the Department of Highways expropriated 1,640 square feet of its parking lot to widen the street. The congregation offered to buy adjacent land to expand its parking lot but the city turned down its request for rezoning. The church then moved and, two years ago, as it was building its new place of worship at 1360 Pipeline Rd., Coquitlam city council — in a closed-door meeting — changed its policy on tax exemptions, allowing no new requests. As a result, the church was billed $33,734 in 2004 (for the 2005 tax year), $16,556 in 2005 and $17,640 this year. The church sued, arguing council’s refusal was outside its powers and cited religious discrimination but the case was dismissed by Madam Justice Carol J. Ross on Aug. 4. Still, while she said council was entitled to revise its policies and “the court must not usurp the role of council,” the judge asked Coquitlam city hall to review its tax policies concerning the congregation. Last night, city council was to decide if a delegation from the congregation could speak at a committee next week, asking for exemptions for 2005, ’06 and ’07. In a report dated Sept. 1, city clerk Sonia Santarossa recommended council also consider “any new permissive property tax exemption requests from other applicants” at next Monday’s meeting, including from Soojung Presbyterian church and the Belvedere Care Centre. City council needs to adopt the 2007 tax exemption bylaw by next month. Rod Sideroff, presiding minister of the Westwood congregation, said the church “isn’t just looking for our money back, we’re looking for fairness in receiving an exemption that 25 other properties received in Coquitlam,” he said. “We were the only one affected by [the policy change].” [email protected] Janis Warren
The Tri-City News
