JaBbA's Hut

(Boston, MA - May 26, 2004) The Comptroller's office of the state of Texas has reversed a September, 2003, ruling that denied tax exempt status to the Dension, TX (Red River) UU church. At the time, the Comptroller of Public Accounts for the state, Carole Keeton Strayhorn, determined that the church was not eligible for exemption from taxes, citing her finding that the congregation "does not have one system of belief."

In his May 24 letter to congregational president Dan Althoff, Jesse Ancira Jr., General Counsel for the Tax Policy Division of the State of Texas stated, "After reviewing the submitted application, file material, as well as correspondence between yourself and staff from our Tax Policy Division, it is my opinion that the Red River Unitarian Universalist Church is an organization created for religious purposes and should be granted the requested tax exemption."

Complete information on the ruling and background material is available on the Southwest UUA District website, at http://www.swuuc.org/events/taxexempt2.html .