The 503-page Tax Cuts and Jobs Act contains an obscure provision creating a 21 percent tax on parking and other transportation-related fringe benefits provided by churches and other nonprofits to their pastors and other employees. Besides imposing a financial burden, the new tax will be a compliance headache for many.
NAE President Leith Anderson joined a coalition letter to members of Congress calling for the repeal of this new tax on churches and nonprofits. Leaders of over 30 organizations signed the letter.
The letter says in part:
Whatever purpose Section 512(a)(7) was intended to serve cannot justify extracting $1.7 billion in taxes from nonprofits and houses of worship within just 10 years. Perhaps worst of all, this provision will hopelessly entangle the IRS with houses of worship, simply because these houses of worship allow their clergy to park in their parking lots.