The New Life in Christ Church trustees own a home on Franklin Street in Fredericksburg that houses two coordinators of the church’s University of Mary Washington outreach ministry. Virginia law provides an exemption from property taxes for real estate and personal property owned by churches and exclusively occupied or used for the residence of the minister. Trustees of a church located in Spotsylvania County have petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a ruling by Fredericksburg Circuit Court denying tax exemption status on a property the church owns in the city. New Life in Christ Church is located on Burgess Lane in Spotsylvania. But its trustees own a home on Franklin Street in Fredericksburg that houses the two coordinators of the church’s University of Mary Washington outreach ministry. Virginia law provides an exemption from property taxes for real estate and personal property owned by churches and exclusively occupied or used for the residence of the minister. However, city lawyers argued in a brief filed with the Supreme Court Friday that the church’s College Outreach and Youth Ministry directors Josh and Anacari Storms aren’t the “minister” of the church. The church contends that city officials and the courts are infringing […]
