A Wisconsin ruling on Catholic Charities raises the bar for religious tax exemptions

By TODD RICHMOND
Associated Press

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A ruling by the Wisconsin Supreme Court is raising the bar for religions to show that their charity arms deserve tax exemptions. The state Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a Catholic charitable organization’s claim that it doesn’t have to pay unemployment taxes because it’s a religious operation. The Superior-based Catholic Charities Bureau manages nonprofit organizations that serve older, disabled and poor people. Lawyers for the plaintiffs quickly promised to appeal directly to the U.S. Supreme Court. If that court agrees to hear the case, any ruling could have broad national implications. Debate has raged for decades over whether tax exemptions for religious institutions are fair.