The tax man cometh …
According to the Colorado Springs Independent, the slow-moving saga of Don Armstrong and the split Episcopal congregation down there continues to evolve. In this case, it’s the IRS that’s throwing a (small) bone to the exiles, with commentary from Armstrong to lend it some fine fodder to chew on.
A letter from a case advocate within the Taxpayer Advocate Service of the IRS informs Grace members faithful to the U.S. church and the Bishop and Diocese of Colorado that they can continue using the same taxpayer identification number used by the church since at least 1965.
“Another entity has used your taxpayer identification number,” the Sept. 10 letter states. “The IRS considers this a form of corporate identity theft.”
David Watts, junior warden and finance committee chair for the exiled congregation, explains church leaders received an IRS bill in August for $11,833 in unpaid taxes and penalties. “We were current [on taxes] and continue to be current,” Watts says.
The IRS investigation cleared the tax bill, Watts says. It also offered a sliver of hope that the congregation, now gathering at First Christian Church, could eventually return to 601 N. Tejon St. “This is the first determination by any governmental body that we are in the right,” Watts says.
Well, it certainly raises the interesting question of what happens when a non-profit splits and both sides claim to be the legitimate heir of IRS tax ID. In this case, the IRS seems to be favoring the folks who are still calling themselves Episcopalians. It also sounds like Armstrong & Co. aren’t keeping up on their taxes.
Armstrong is less impressed with the letter. Reached by phone Monday, he tells the Independent that it is “much ado about absolutely nothing” and insists, “We don’t have any tax-paying problem.”
Except, like, what number you’re claiming to use. Oh, and that back bill for $12K. Armstrong then turned to the “I’m rubber, you’re glue” defense.
In a follow-up e-mail to the Indy Tuesday morning, Armstrong accuses the rival group of conspiring to have the identification number “falsely” assigned to it, thus committing “corporate identity theft” itself.
Tell it to the IRS, reverend.
Armstrong also wanted to show off his winning and Christ-like ways:
He dismisses the exiled Grace members as a group of “CC [Colorado College] people” before asserting he is not speaking for attribution. “You may not quote me on anything,” he says. “You don’t want to quote me.”
Oh, yes we do, Don.
Still no ruling on who owns the church yet or all the money that Armstrong played around with?
Per the story, investigations continue on the fraud and tax charges. The property case goes to trial in February.