Badboy...of course they are...there's nothing wrong with "avoiding taxes"...most people and organizations of all sizes make a regular practice of it ...there is something definitely wrong with evading taxes which should be paid.
The WT avoids taxes simply by taking advantage of its tax status as a religious organization. Taxation of such organizations is very limited.
However, WT, like some tax exempt organizations, has made payments in lieu of taxes to some governments becasue their presence in the community is quite large. (as a tax exempt organization)
At the Farm in Wallkill for instance, the WTS has made numerous payments of cash, time and tangible resources to the local governments and agencies (eg fire dept, Town Rec dept, highway dept, etc.).
A tax professor once said: "Avoiding taxes is as American as apple pie...evading taxes could get you sent to prison".