Church tax in Jura

Finance, Taxes, Banking, Insurance and Retirement
21
Interesting. So Vaud did not really abolish church tax, but just made all to pay it and you have to reclaim it if you are not affiliated with one of the denominations which profit from it?

22

Federal Constitution of the Swiss Confederation

of 18 April 1999 (Status as of 1 January 2021)

Preamble

In the name of Almighty God!

[...]

https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/1999/404/en

23

In God We Trust

Just sayin'

24
Surprising this isn't against the constitution which clearly states:

"No person may be forced to join or belong to a religious community, to participate in a religious act, or to follow religious teachings."

Hard to see how donating to a church is not a religious act, and even if you claim it back afterward you still participated.

25
Eh? Do I?

Not sure what gives you that idea. I've no knowledge of local Church arrangements and taxes, beyond the fact that I've always declared myself as non-religious if asked.

There's a church in the Village here, and at least one down at Troistorrents (the major part of the commune) and I guess they're probably Catholic; whether there are other denominations as well I have no idea.

26
Which is quite modern thing.

27
Indeed, only since 1956.

Tom

28
Im not an American, I just thought this was a basic matter of individual liberty to not have to find a religious body you don't follow.

29
Well you seem to have thought all religious people (inc Greek Orthodox) are subject to the church tax.

This is not the case in most of Switzerland (excluding Vaud and Valais). It is only followers of specific religions that get taxed. And the money is not put into a single pot and redistributed. Rather the Catholic money goes to the Catholic Church and the reformed money goes to the reformed church.

If I understand correctly in Vaud part of the cantonal tax is redistributed to the churches. There is no opt out for the irreligious and no church tax as such.

Valais is the most complicated. In most of the Gemeinde, part of the Gemeinde (Not cantonal as in Vaud) tax is redistributed to the local church(es).

Again no opt outs and no church taxes as such. In some of the Gemeinde in Valais however there is church tax, and you may (?) be able to opt out of paying this if you are irreligious.

I suspect from your comments you may live in a special case Gemeinde within the special case canton!

30
This is very interesting indeed. When arrived in CH(VD) I was aware of church tax and I filled the form after which I was expecting to get a bill, but it never arrived

31
Some C/Kantons have been either Catholic or Protestant for a very long time. Valais has always been Catholic, and immigration groups have been Catholics too, Italian, Spanish and now Portuguese- keeping the status quo. Neuchâtel on the other hand, has always been Protestant- but this was challenged by immigration from the above groups- with the number of Catholics increasing with each wave- to almost parity now. The Jura was always Catholic but had the Protestant religion forced upon them by the invading Bernese- as well as their Laws and language- as said before, resulting in massive resentment still alive today.

Neuchâtel and Genève are the only Cantons which have had a successful vote to make the Church tax 100% optional, including for business.

32
I think you're misreading things, to quite a large extent. I only commented that some people, or God(s) might think it wrong to lie about your religious beliefs to avoid a small tax. I don't think that at all, but as an atheist it's not something that I've had to do.

The second, quoted, part you requoted in your last post was misattributed - it wasn't me who said that.

Again, I don't know what you're seeing to give you that impression, I simply said, in response to your previous post, that I know nothing about how the church or churches here operate.

33
The only Protestant Church/community in Val d'Illiez region is in Monthey. Otherwise, 100% Catholic.

34
I don't think businesses pay in AG - and quite a few other Kantons. And individuals are naturally free to choose.

35
not if you state your religion

36

I fully agree with you. In Berlin, people arriving from countries perceived as "Catholic" such as France or Portugal can be registered as Catholic even if they state that they have no religion. It is then up to them to formally leave the German Catholic Church if they don ́t wish to pay the tax.

The Catholic Church is in reality quite different from country to country even though it claims to be a universal church. Spain is a good example. The Catholic Church supported Franco during the dictatorship but in Catalonia many priests and bishops supported and continue to support Catalan independence.