This short article first starred in the St. Louis Beacon, Jan. 18, 2012 – an attorney employed by the payday industry is blanketing their state with letters clergy that is telling church board people and religious teams that their active help for a ballot initiative limiting pay day loan rates of interest could jeopardize their tax-exempt status.
The letters seem to have already been sent out, to some extent, as a result up to a gathering of spiritual leaders in Jefferson City in support of the proposed initiative, which may cap cash advance rates at 36 %. Present prices could be more than 400 per cent.
Some churches and groups that are religious have actually started taking part in the number of the roughly 90,000 signatures needed seriously to have the proposition on the ballot. Both edges are also in court battling on the ballot that is proposed approved by Secretary of State Robin Carnahan’s workplace.
“You understand you are from the track that is right your opponents stick an awful page under a lawyer’s letterhead,” stated the Rev. David Gerth, executive manager associated with the St. Louis-based Metropolitan Congregations United (MCU).
But Rabbi Susan Talve, whom also received among the letters, said this woman is worried that its warnings might unfairly frighten some religious activists.
Read more