Monday, 15 April 2013 01:36
ESL pastors unhappy with Mayor Parks over "church tax"
Some metro-east pastors are upset with the City of East St. Louis for levying what they call a tax on churches.
On January 1st, the city imposed a $100 registration fee on churches and nonprofits. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the annual fee is supposed to offset the city's cost of doing fire and safety inspections.
Local pastors spoke out against the fee at Thursday's City Council meeting. Many blamed Mayor Alvin Parks, who defends the fee. The city council considered the pastors argument and pushed back the fee deadline from June 30th to September 30th.
Houses of worship have generally been exempt from taxes since a 1970 U.S. Supreme Court ruling on the issue. Civic fees charged against houses of worship have been struck down as "church taxes" in the past.
Published in
Local News
Friday, 05 April 2013 09:43
ESL Dist. 189 announces teacher lay offs
Cuts in the classroom are coming to the East St. Louis School District. Teachers layoffs were announced during Thursday night's packed school board meeting.
In all, 69 teachers in District 189 will lose their jobs. Five elementary school principals and two middle school principals will also be cut.
East St. Louis is just the latest in a long list of metro-east school districts forced to make the cuts because of state and local budget issues.
Published in
Local News
Latest News
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Pens close out Sens in 5
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Too much talent. Too much skill. Too much composure. The Pittsburgh Penguins have reached the NHL Eastern Conference finals and will play either the New York Ran...
Pacers stun Heat in game 2
MIAMI (AP) — This time Indiana didn't wilt in the final seconds. After losing the NBA Eastern Conference finals opener in overtime to Miami, the Pacers kept their composure until ...
Pioneering political journalist dead at 81
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pioneering Washington journalist Haynes Johnson, who helped redefine political reporting, has died at age 81. The University of Maryland, where Johnson was a jou...
President Obama sees terror threat at pre-9/11 level
WASHINGTON (AP) — Some call it wishful thinking, but President Barack Obama has all but declared an end to the global war on terror. Obama isn't claiming final victory over extrem...
East St. Louis jury issues indictment of timeshare scam…
EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. (AP) — A Las Vegas man is accused in Illinois of a timeshare scam that federal prosecutors say bilked $10 million from more than 3,000 victims across the Unite...
Tow boat members honored for saving lives
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Two crew members from a tow boat, including one who died, have been honored for their efforts to save a family of five after the family's boat became disabled on t...
Deadline looms to request Missouri absentee ballots
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Voters in southeast Missouri voters are running out of time to request absentee ballots by mail or fax for next month's congressional election. The spec...
Gov. Quinn responds to House approving conceal carry bi…
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Gov. Pat Quinn is lashing out at lawmakers after the Illinois House approved a concealed carry bill that he says "puts public safety at risk." Quinn says ...
