Justices Back Catholic Groups’ Religious Tax Exemption Claim (1)

The US Supreme Court said the Wisconsin Supreme Court wrongly denied Catholic-affiliated charities a religious exemption from having to pay into the state’s unemployment tax program.

In a unanimous decision Thursday, the court ruled that it’s unconstitutional to impose a denominational preference by differentiating between religions based on theological lines under the First Amendment.

“A law that differentiates between religions along theological lines is textbook denominational discrimination,” Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the court.

Catholic Charities Bureau serves people who are elderly, disabled, poor, and in need of disaster relief. Its sub-entities—Headwaters, Barron County Developmental Services, Diversified Services, and Black ...