“Stop those who take advantage” by avoiding property tax payments, the News Tribune opined on July 18. Not mentioned, though, was the avoidance by nonprofit institutions, religious and otherwise.

By not paying their share, religions and other nonprofits force citizens of all sects and non-religious people (about 30 percent of the population) to pay for their fire protection, road maintenance, public health and human services costs and much more.

It is estimated that $213 million of religious property in St. Louis County is not taxed, according to county Tax Division Manager Brandon Larson.

Religious institutions are nonprofit and thereby avoid federal taxation as well (which is also unconstitutional).

As St. Louis County Auditor and Treasurer Donald Dicklich noted in a commentary in response to the News Tribune’s editorial, it is up to our state legislators to set property tax boundaries.

Nonprofits pay for water and electricity; they ought to pay for other services, too. That can be accomplished if fees for services in lieu of taxes were established. If legislators would do that it would bring religious institutions into compliance with the Minnesota Constitution’s Article I, Section 16 (“Nor shall any man be compelled to attend, erect or support any place of worship,” it reads. “Nor shall any money be drawn from the treasury for the benefit of any religious societies.” Currently, both these restrictions are being violated.

Actually, there is no constitutional reason for religions to escape any taxation, so fee-for-service is really not needed.

All state citizens will see a reduction in their taxes if we call on our city, county and state officers and legislators to set the tax laws straight.

And morally, religions will want to pay for services they receive.

William Van Druten

Duluth