What happened
A county official reportedly told state Sen. Donzella James they revoked the church’s property tax exemption because its title included a person’s name (even though it always has).
The owner is recorded as “Johnson Carrie Admr Church,” named after the church’s first pastor, Carrie Johnson, who died in 1989.
“I cannot understand how a church that is active and functioning in the community could be changed from nonprofit to profit,” James told WSB-TV.
“It’s a lot of people dropping balls here. And now we need to stop this and give them an opportunity to satisfy, rather than have their property sold on the courthouse steps.”
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What's going to happen next?
The Pro Bono Partnership of Atlanta says “all property owned by and operated exclusively as a church or other religious association” is exempt from property taxes.
However, the National Council of Nonprofits notes most state laws require nonprofit corporations to periodically confirm or update their basic contact information, like their mailing address and the names of responsible parties.
WSB-TV reports that under Georgia law, third-party lien holders must notify you within 60 days of assuming your debt and can charge you a one-time 10% penalty, with 1% interest accruing each month.
They must also wait 12 months before foreclosure.
The church has apparently hired a lawyer and is hoping to fix the title issue.
“We should not be taxed,” Williams said. “We are a church. We’ve been known to be a ministry.”
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