MOSCOW, Idaho  When the headquarters for Christ Church and the New Saint Andrews College rented out one of their buildings to another organization and allowed a bakery to set up in another, two neighbors raised their eyebrows and complained to the county tax board. According to the Associated Press and The Spokesman-Review, the Latah County Board of Equalization revoked the tax-free status of the church and school.
Roy Atwood, dean of New Saint Andrews, said the church will appeal the board's decision on the college property. Spokesman Doug Jones said a decision on a possible appeal on the church property had not been made.
Moscow residents Saundra Lund and Rosemary Huskey argued that the buildings used by the church and the college have commercial uses, violating Idaho law requiring tax-exempt property to be exclusively nonprofit.
Huskey and Lund also argued that the college and the church may not be true nonprofits, because the school does not have federally approved not-for-profit standing.
"The board has been open and honest with us, just as we have been open and honest in all our dealings with the board," Atwood said. "Because we share Rosemary Huskey and Saundra Lund's concern about accurate and complete information in the tax process, we look forward to seeing the record set straight on appeal."
The church and school can ask the equalization board to reconsider its ruling, or appeal to the Idaho State Tax Commission.
Huskey and Lund said they plan to challenge the board's decision to grant tax-exempt status to a third New Saint Andrews College building.
