Do churches cost us too much?

Re “God or Mammon,” editorial, Nov. 18

Religious institutions and the hierarchy of people who run them have reaped the benefits of tax exemption for too long at the expense of all of us.

They are given liberties and latitude regarding holdings, assets and their distribution that would never be allowed in private individual or corporate dealings without at least some question.

Billions of dollars in real estate are owned by religious institutions, not necessarily benefiting congregants but rather the top guns of the particular institution. Cars, buses, planes, buildings, homes, TV stations and more can be written off as religious necessities. Why are religious institutions exempt from the same tax laws when they decide to become mega-churches, i.e. religious corporations? Enough is enough.

J.G. Peters

Monrovia