Christian Voice of Cent. Ohio v. Testa (Slip Opinion)

2016 Ohio 1527, 63 N.E.3d 1153, 147 Ohio St. 3d 217
CourtOhio Supreme Court
DecidedApril 14, 2016
Docket2014-1626
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 2016 Ohio 1527 (Christian Voice of Cent. Ohio v. Testa (Slip Opinion)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Christian Voice of Cent. Ohio v. Testa (Slip Opinion), 2016 Ohio 1527, 63 N.E.3d 1153, 147 Ohio St. 3d 217 (Ohio 2016).

Opinions

Kennedy, J.

{¶ 1} This is an appeal from a decision of the Board of Tax Appeals (“BTA”) that affirmed the tax commissioner’s denial in 2011 of an exemption for real property located in Gahanna from which appellant, Christian Voice of Central Ohio, operates radio stations. Until 2007, Christian Voice operated the stations from offices located in New Albany. In 1991, the tax commissioner had granted an exemption for that property, reasoning that it was being “used for church purposes * * * under R.C. 5709.07.” In 2007, following the relocation of Christian Voice’s offices to Gahanna, a complaint was filed challenging the continued exemption of Christian Voice’s New Albany property. In a final determination issued in 2013, the tax commissioner denied the complaint, similarly reasoning that the property was “being used for church facilities.”

{¶ 2} Meanwhile, in 2008, Christian Voice applied for the same exemption for its Gahanna property that its New Albany property had enjoyed for 17 years. According to the application, a building constructed on the Gahanna property contains “production studios used for the origination of certain religious programming, offices, assembly rooms and a chapel.” Christian Voice again sought exemption under R.C. 5709.07(A)(2), which relieves “[hjouses used exclusively for public worship” and attendant lands from taxation. On this occasion, the tax commissioner denied the exemption, finding “no evidence that people assemble to worship together on the subject property” and reasoning that the exemption applies only “where people gather to profess their faith or to observe and participate in religious rituals or ceremonies.”

{¶ 3} On appeal from the BTA’s affirmance of the tax commissioner’s final determination, Christian Voice advances three arguments: the decision to deny the exemption is unreasonable and unlawful when the primary use of the [218]*218property is for public worship; the decision to ignore a property owner’s prior tax exemption violates the doctrine of collateral estoppel when no material facts or circumstances changed since the prior determination; and the decision to completely deny the exemption is unreasonable and unlawful because R.C. 5713.04 permits real property to be split into exempt and nonexempt parts if the part used in the exempt manner can be precisely delineated.

{¶ 4} We agree with Christian Voice’s first argument — that the primary use of the property is for public worship — and therefore reverse the decision of the BTA. Because we conclude that the BTA should have allowed the exemption under R.C. 5709.07(A)(2), the public-worship exemption, for the entire property, regardless of past determinations, we do not examine the second and third arguments asserted by Christian Voice.

Factual Background

{¶ 5} According to testimony presented at the BTA hearing on May 29, 2013, Christian Voice operates several1 radio stations, including most prominently WCVO 104.9 FM, “The River.” The property at issue was acquired in May 2007 to replace Christian Voice’s prior New Albany offices.

{¶ 6} Christian Voice has had nonprofit status under 26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3) since it was established in 1964. There are no stockholders. According to Christian Voice’s 2008 exemption application, the Gahanna property is used to produce radio programming for the purpose of “furthering the gospel of Jesus Christ through Contemporary Christian Music and Preaching and Teaching radio programs.”

{¶ 7} The property is a 2.184-acre parcel improved with a 16,783-square-foot building built in 1998. Diagrams furnished by Christian Voice to the tax commissioner show two floors plus a basement. The basement consists primarily of a meeting room, the first floor contains a chapel and offices for administrative and program staff, and the second floor contains additional offices.

{¶ 8} According to testimony and recent financial statements introduced at the BTA hearing, Christian Voice’s primary sources of revenue are (1) funds received from underwriters in exchange for advertising and (2) donations. The former relates to the sale of airtime on The River. Bill Montgomery, The River’s chief sales officer, testified that the sale of advertising is vital to the ministry of the station. Daniel Baughman, president and chief executive officer, testified that [219]*219the station has “to generate that revenue ourselves. It takes money to do what we do to get the Gospel out there.”

{¶ 9} The advertising is limited by Federal Communications Commission regulations to mentions of the supporting businesses’ names and telephone numbers; advertisements may not state the prices of their services or products. Montgomery testified that the station does not air advertisements that promote alcohol, lotteries, casinos, or adult businesses such as nightclubs. Additionally, the content of advertising is monitored to ensure that it is appropriate for children to hear.

{¶ 10} About 95 percent of Christian Voice’s programming consists of Christian music and 5 percent of “talk.” Todd Stach, chief creative officer, described the music as “bible verses put to music,” explaining that artists convert old hymns into contemporary songs. He also stated that most of the songs “encourag[e] a vertical relationship with God.”

{¶ 11} The River’s talk segments consist of pastoral programming. John Moriarty — the station’s full-time pastor, known as Pastor John — records one-minute devotional spots with contact information, inviting listeners to contact him for prayer or support. The River’s disc jockeys (“DJs”) also promote Pastor John’s counseling services on the air. In addition, on Sunday mornings, The River airs a three-hour syndicated program called “Keep the Faith.” Although it includes music, the program is, according to Baughman’s testimony, as “close to preaching and teaching as you can be,” helping listeners “get through life[’s] struggles.”

{¶ 12} Christian Voice’s chapel features a collection of Christian books as well as stained-glass artwork depicting the life of Jesus Christ. Pastor John leads a prayer devotional with Christian Voice staff in the chapel every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday morning to pray for intentions that listeners have submitted via Christian Voice’s website. On Wednesdays, he holds a Bible study in the chapel for the staff. In addition, the pastor of Epic Church, a church located nearby, uses the chapel for pastoral counseling. The River airs regular announcements informing listeners that the chapel is open to them daily for private prayer.

{¶ 13} Christian Voice’s basement meeting room is used regularly by groups and organizations with a religious focus, regardless of denomination. Epic Church uses the meeting room for several regular worship services, including a Sunday evening discipleship service, a Wednesday youth service, and a monthly service for the church’s leadership team. Alpha, a group described as an introduction to the Christian faith, also uses the meeting room. Boy Scout meetings are also held in this space. Christian Voice does not charge any of these organizations for their use of its chapel or meeting room.

[220]*220{¶ 14} The River is active in community outreach. Pastor John testified that part of The River’s ministry is doing work for the homeless — for example, by coordinating groups of volunteers at local food pantries.

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Related

Johnson v. Clark Cty. Bd. of Revision
2016 Ohio 7518 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2016)
Christian Voice of Cent. Ohio v. Testa (Slip Opinion)
2016 Ohio 1527 (Ohio Supreme Court, 2016)
Cooke v. Montgomery County
814 N.E.2d 505 (Ohio Court of Appeals, 2004)

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Bluebook (online)
2016 Ohio 1527, 63 N.E.3d 1153, 147 Ohio St. 3d 217, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/christian-voice-of-cent-ohio-v-testa-slip-opinion-ohio-2016.